Blast from the Past Part 2 The Chamber of Secrets
by Lotr030201
Summary: When the younger versions of Molly and Arthur Weasley come to the present time, they end up having to help Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, and get into more trouble than they ever imagined. This is Part Two of my Blast from the Past series. PLZ R&R!
1. Rescuing Harry

Chapter One

Molly walked into the kitchen. Ron sat at the table, glumly.

"What's wrong, Ron?"  
"Harry. He hasn't answered any letters."

"I know. I thought it was just me, though." Molly shook her head. "I send him one at least once a week. Maybe Errol screwed up. You know how that bloody bird is."

"Yeah. But he can't screw up this many times."

"I beg to differ." Molly sat down. Arthur came in, and sat next to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Oh, Harry hasn't answered any letters. Got us bummed out, that's all."

"Maybe it's Errol."

"I said that too, but Errol can't screw up that many times."

"That's true."

Fred and George ran downstairs as Errol flew up above them.

"Does anyone know where Harry lives? I believe we've forgotten." George said.

"Why do you want to know?" Arthur asked.

"Because you know that car that Dad has? We were thinking of taking it to go get him." Fred said.

"What do you think?"

"It's brilliant!" Molly said. "The address is…. Number Four Privet Drive."

George smiled. "Let's go."

```~~~LATER~~~```

It was nighttime. They flew up to a house that bars on one of the windows.

"Is this it?" Ron asked.

"I hope so." Fred answered. Once the lights were on the windows, they saw Harry in his pajamas.

"This is it." Molly smiled.

"Hiya, Harry." Ron said. He was in the passenger side.

"Hey Harry." Arthur said.

"How you doing?" Molly asked.

"Ron. Molly. Arthur. Fred. George. What are you all doing here?" Harry asked.

"Rescuing you, of course. Now, come on, get your trunk.

```~~~LATER~~~```

Harry was packed, dressed, and ready to go. Ron put a hook on the bars that covered the window.

"You better stand back." He said. He looked at Fred. "Let's go."

Fred drove the car through the air, and the bars along with the window fell off, and into the shrubs.

"Nice." Molly said. "Muggles are so stupid."

"No they're not." Arthur said.

"They put bars on a window. Do they not know that a spell can keep them from coming off?"

Fred popped the trunk. Harry grabbed his luggage, and began to put it in.

"Potter!" they heard.

"Go. Go. Go." George said. Fred turned the car so that they could get Hedwig in.

"Come on." Ron said.

"Come on, Harry, hurry up." Fred said.

Molly's eyes diverted to the door. It slammed open, and a really big, heavy-set man walked in.

"Petunia, he's escaping!" the man said. Behind him stood a skinny woman and a chubby boy. Harry made a jump for the car when the man grabbed his ankle.

"I've got you, Harry." Ron said.

"Come here!" the man yelled.

"Let go of me!" Harry snapped.

"Oh, no boy! You and that bloody pigeon aren't going anywhere."

"Get off!"

"Fred, drive." Arthur said. "Now."

"Drive!" Ron yelled.

"Right." George said.

"Right!" Fred repeated. They began driving off.

"No! No! No! No!" the fat guy fell out of the window, and into the shrubs. Molly laughed.

"Nice!"

The skinny woman and the chubby boy shrieked.

"Dad!" yelled the boy. Harry laughed, and then closed the car door. Fred drove off.

"By the way, Harry, happy birthday." Ron said.

"Yeah." Molly said.

"We would've said sooner, but you never answered our letters." Arthur said.

"Well, there's a story behind that. I'll tell you later, though." Harry said.

```~~~THE BURROW~~~```

Fred landed the car, and they slid into the driveway. They got out, and headed for the door.

"Come on." George whispered. He opened the door, and walked in. "Okay, come on. Shh."

One by one, the others followed him inside. "Okay, come on." He said again. The dishes were washing themselves, and Harry smiled. He looked around, in awe.

"Think it'd be alright if we had some?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, Mum will never know." George answered. Harry looked at the clock, and four pointers, one for young Molly, one for young Arthur, one for both of the twins, and one for Ron all pointed to home. Harry looked at something that was knitting itself.

"It's not much," Ron said, with his mouth full. "But its home."

"I think it's brilliant." Harry said. They heard running on the stairs, and Mrs. Weasley came out from a corner, furious.

"Where have you been?" she demanded. The five redheads hid their food behind their backs. Mrs. Weasley came out from behind the chair. "Harry," she said, smiling. "How wonderful it is to see you, dear." She turned to the redheads. "Beds empty. No note. Car gone. You could have _died_, you could have been seen." She turned to Harry. "Of course, I don't blame you, Harry, dear." She turned back to the redheads.

"They were starving him, Mum. There were bars on his window." Ron said. Harry nodded, as did the others. Mrs. Weasley pointed a finger at her youngest son.

"Well, you best hope I don't put bars on _your _window, Ronald Weasley. Come on Harry," she said, turning to the dark haired boy. "Time for a spot of breakfast."

```~~~LATER~~~```

Ginny ran down the stairs as Harry and the others began to eat. Percy was down at this point as well.

"Here we are, Harry. Now, tuck in." Mrs. Weasley said, giving him some food. "That's it. There we go."

Ginny ran in. "Um, Mummy, have you seen my jumper?" she asked.

"Yes, dear, it was on the cat." Mrs. Weasley answered. Ginny looked at Harry, and went wide-eyed.

"Hello." Harry said. Ginny ran away. Fred, George, Arthur, and Molly began laughing. "What did I do?" Harry asked.

"Ginny." Ron said. "She's been talking about you all summer. A bit annoying, really."

"Morning, Weasleys." Mr. Weasley said, coming in.

"Morning, Dad." Said four of the redheads. Arthur and Molly waved.

"Morning, Arthur." Mrs. Weasley said, her voice going in the chorus of children's.

"What a night. Nine raids. Nine!" Mr. Weasley said, as he put his stuff down.

"Raids?" Harry asked.

"Dad works in the Ministry of Magic, in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office." Ron said. "Dad loves Muggles, thinks they're fascinating."

Mr. Weasley kissed Mrs. Weasley on the cheek, and then sat down. "Well, now." He said, as he sat down. He looked at Harry. "And who are you?"

"Sorry, sir. I'm Harry, sir. Harry Potter."

"Good Lord. Are you really?"

Harry nodded. Mr. Weasley continued.

"Well, Ron has told us all about you, of course. When did he get here?"

Mrs. Weasley turned to him.

"This morning," she said. "Your sons and our doubles flew that enchanted car of yours to Surrey and back last night."

"Did you really?" Mr. Weasley asked. "How did it go?"

All of the kids started talking. Mrs. Weasley smacked her husband on the arm. Molly held back a laugh.

"I like it here. Better than my home." Arthur said.

"No, uh-uh. Better than _my _home." Molly said. "I get to smack you on the arm."

Mr. Weasley corrected himself.

"I mean—that was very wrong indeed, children. Very wrong of you." He said. "Now, Harry. You must know all about Muggles. Tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?"

"That sounds interesting." Arthur said.

"Oh. Um—" Harry got cut off by an owl screech. Molly looked at Percy.

"Bed-head." She said. Percy rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."

"No."

"Well, that'll be Errol with the post." Mrs. Weasley said. Their owl, Errol, flew towards the window and hit the side that was closed. Molly held in her laugh. "Fetch it, will you, Percy, please?"

Percy nodded, and got up. "Errol." He said. Errol jumped up, the mail in his mouth.

"He's always doing that." Ron said. Percy opened what he was given by the owl.

"Oh, look, it's our Hogwarts letters." He said. "They've sent us Harry's as well."

"Dumbledore must know you're here, Harry." Mr. Weasley said. "Doesn't miss a trick, that man."

Percy was passing the letters around.

"This lot won't come cheap, Mum." Fred said. "The spell books alone are very expensive." Both of the twins spoke at the same time.

"We'll manage." Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry's letter. "There's one place where we're going to get all of this." She said. "Diagon Alley."

```~~~LATER~~~```

The ten of them crowded around the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley picked up the container that held the Floo powder.

"Here we are, Harry. You go first, dear." She said.

"But Harry's never traveled by Floo powder before, Mum." Ron said.  
"Floo powder?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Great way to get places, if you ask me." Arthur muttered.

"Oh, well you go first, Ron, so that Harry can see how it's done." Ron walked forward, and into the fireplace. "In you go." She held out the container, and Ron took a handful. Mrs. Weasley then backed up, her arm out to shield Percy and Fred.

"Diagon Alley." Ron said, and was gone a swoosh of emerald flames.

"You see?" Mrs. Weasley asked Harry. "It's quite easy, dear. Don't be afraid. Come on."

Harry looked wide-eyed.

"Don't be afraid, Harry." Molly said, making him jump. She started laughing. Mr. Weasley patted Harry on the back as Harry advanced forward.

"Come on." Mrs. Weasley said, after giving her younger version a glare. "That's it. Mind your head." At this point, Harry was stepping into the fireplace. "That's right. Now, take your Floo powder." She held the container out to him. Harry took a handful. "That's it, very good. Now, don't forget to speak very, very clearly." Mrs. Weasley backed up, her arm shielding Percy and Fred again.

"Diagonally." Harry said, and was gone. Molly furrowed her eyebrows.

"Did he say what I think he said?" Arthur asked.

"What did he say, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Diagonally." Mr. Weasley answered.

"I thought he did."


	2. Another Route to Hogwarts

Chapter Two

Molly and Hermione were waiting outside of the bookstore, waiting for Harry. They saw Harry and Hagrid, and ran up to them.  
"Harry. Hagrid." Hermione said, smiling. Molly smiled too, waving at Hagrid.

"Hello, Hermione. Molly." Hagrid said, returning the smile.

"Oh, it's so good to see you." Hermione said.

"It's great to see you too." Harry said.

"What did you do to your glasses?" Hermione took out her wand. "_Oculus Reparo._" She said, and the crack on Harry's glasses disappeared.

"I definitely need to remember that one."

"You'll be alright now then, Harry?" Hagrid said. "Right. I'll leave you to it." He turned to leave.

"Okay, bye." Hermione said.

"Thank you. Bye." Harry said.

"See ya." Molly said. She turned to Harry. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You didn't break anything did you?"

"No."

"Well, then, let's go inside."

"Yeah, come on, everyone's been so worried." Hermione said, and the three went inside. They walked up near the front of the line.

"Oh, Harry." Mrs. Weasley said. "Thank goodness. We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far." She dusted him off.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart." A man said. Everyone turned their attention, all the girls, except for Molly, swooning as Gilderoy Lockhart came into the room.

"Here he is." Mrs. Weasley muttered. She began to fix her hair.

"Mum fancies him." Ron said. Mrs. Weasley lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Make way there, please. Let me by, madam. Thank you. Excuse me, little girl. This is for the _Daily Prophet_." A photographer said, as he came through the crowd. Molly shook her head.

"He's such a snob." She muttered. Arthur shook his head.

"What's the big deal about this guy?" he asked. Mr. Weasley shook his head. The photographer took the picture. Lockhart looked into the crowd.

"It can't be. Harry Potter?" he said.

"Harry Potter!" the photographer exclaimed, grabbed Harry by the shoulder, and made Harry stand next to Lockhart.

"Nice big smile, Harry. Together, you and I rate the front page." Lockhart said. He smiled for the picture, but Harry didn't. The picture was taken. "Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is. When young Harry stepped into Flourish and Blotts this morning to purchase my autobiography, _Magical Me_,"

Everyone clapped again, the women still swooning. Besides Molly, who was staring up at the ceiling, bored out of her mind. Lockhart continued.

"Which, incidentally, is currently celebrating its 27th week atop the _Daily Prophet _bestseller list, he had no idea that he would, in fact, be leaving with my entire collected works free of charge." A man handed his books to Lockhart, who handed them to Harry. Everyone began clapping again as Harry went back into the line. "Now, ladies?"

"Harry, now you give me those and I'll get them signed." Mrs. Weasley said, as Harry gave her the books. "All of you wait outside. That's it."

The kids all began to walk out. "Thank God." Molly mumbled. There was a rip, making everyone look to the left.

"I'll bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" Malfoy asked. "Famous Harry Potter. Can't even go into the bookshop with making the front page."

Ginny walked up to him, glaring. "Leave him alone." She said.

"Oh, look, Potter. You got yourself a girlfriend."

A silver cane-looking thing was placed on his shoulder. "Now, now, Draco, play nicely." The man said. Molly glared.

"Lucius." Arthur muttered. The man looked at him.

"Do I know you?"

"Uh—uh—no. Um… I-I-I—my Dad told me about you. Both me and my twin sister." He motioned to Molly.

Molly looked at him. Arthur shrugged.

"Mr. Potter." Lucius said. "Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last." They shook hands. "Forgive me." He pulled Harry towards him. He pulled his hair back with his cane-looking object. "Your scar is legend. As, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you."

"Voldemort killed my parents." Harry said. Lucius shoved him away lightly. "He was nothing more than a murderer."

"You must be very brave to mention his name. Or very foolish."

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself." Hermione snapped. Lucius looked at her.

"And you must be Miss Granger." He looked at his son, who nodded. "Yes, Draco has told me all about you. And your parents. Muggles, aren't they?" he looked at all of the redheads. "Let me see. Red hair, vacant expressions," he took a book out of Ginny's cauldron. "Tatty second hand book. You must be the Weasleys."

"Children, it's mad in here. Let's go outside." Mr. Weasley said, as he walked over to Ginny.

"Well, well, well. Weasley senior."

"Lucius."

"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they're paying you overtime, but judging by the state of this, I'd say not. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was to believe that you and Molly had seven children, not nine."

Mr. Weasley looked at Molly and Arthur, and Arthur shrugged. Mr. Weasley looked back at Lucius.

"We had nine." He said. Lucius smirked.

"Getting money is rather hard these days, anyway." He smirked at Molly and Arthur, and then he looked at Mr. Weasley. "What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

"We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Mr. Weasley snapped.

"Clearly. Associating with Muggles." He stepped forward, and put the book back into Ginny's cauldron. "And I thought your family could sink no lower."

Mr. Weasley refrained himself from punching Lucius in the face.

"I'll see you at work." Lucius said. He walked out. Malfoy walked over to Harry.

"See you at school." He said, and followed his father.

```~~~KING'S CROSS STATION~~~```

"10:58. Come on. Come on." Mr. Weasley said.

"The train will be leaving any moment!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"Fred, George, Percy, you first."

The three boys ran at the wall, and vanished.

"Okay." Mrs. Weasley said, and then Ginny followed her brothers. The Weasley parents walked forward.

"After you, dear." Mr. Weasley said, and they went through the wall.

"Let's go." Harry said.

"Good idea." Molly muttered. The four ran at the wall, and then slammed into it.

"Ah, shit." Arthur muttered.

"Oi." Said a guard. "What do you four think you're doing?"

"Sorry." Harry said. "L-Lost-Lost control of the trolley."

The man shook his head, and walked off.

"Why can't we get through?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Ron answered. "The gateway's sealed itself for some reason." He placed his hand on the wall. Molly slammed her shoulder into it, but ended crying out.

"Oh, ow." She said.

"Well, that wasn't smart." Arthur said.

"You shut up." Molly pointed a finger at him. The clock rang.

"The train leaves at exactly 11:00. We've missed it!" Harry said. Ron went wide-eyed.

"Hey guys, if we can't get through, maybe Mum and Dad can't get back."

"Maybe we should just go and wait by the car."

"The car."

"I have an idea." Arthur said.

```~~~OUTSIDE~~~```

They got in the car, and Ron started it. They began to fly.

"Ron, I should tell you," Harry said. "Most Muggles aren't accustomed to seeing a flying car."

"Uh, right, okay." Ron pushed a button, and the car turned invisible.

```~~~LATER~~~```

The car turned visible again as they were nearing Hogwarts. Ron tried to press the button again, but it wouldn't work.

"Oh no!" he said. "The Invisibility Booster must be faulty."

"Come on, then. Let's go lower." Harry said. "We need to find the train."

"Okay." Ron said, and dove down a bit.

"I still don't see it." Arthur said.

"Keep looking. It's a big metal object. We have to be able to see it." Molly said. "We're almost on the tracks, you know."

"Now, all we need to do is catch up with the train." Harry said.

"We can't be far behind." Ron said. They heard a train whistle.

"Do you hear that?" Harry asked.

"Yeah." Molly answered.  
"I hear it too." Arthur said.

"We must be getting close." Ron said.

"Hold on."

They looked over their shoulders as Hedwig's eyes literally almost popped out of her head. The four children screamed. The train was behind them.

"Ron! Get us off of the tracks!" Arthur yelled. Ron steered the car off of the tracks. They went under the bridge, and went up, doing flips. Harry's door opened, and he fell out, only holding on by one hand.

"Harry!" Ron yelled. "Hold on!" he reached his hand down. "Take my hand!"

Harry took his hand, but then his slipped.

"Hold on!" Ron said again.

"I'm trying. Your hand's all sweaty." Harry said. He grabbed Ron's hand again, and Ron pulled him into the car, which righted itself once Harry was in.

"I think we found the train." Harry said.

"Yeah." Ron said.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Molly rolled her eyes.

```~~~LATER-NIGHTTIME~~~```

They flew up to the school.

"Welcome home." Ron said, smiling. Harry and the others smiled too. But then, the car began to go nuts. They began flying all around the school as the car made up its own mind. They began to go down.

"Up! Up!" Harry yelled. Ron fiddled with the controls, trying to make the car go up.

"It's not working!" he said, voice cracking. Harry grabbed the joystick, but the car began to go even more crazy.

"Up! Ron, mind that tree!" Harry said. Ron took his wand out from where it was on the blinders.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" he said, hitting the steering wheel with it. His wand broke. They then flew straight into the tree. They fell back onto another limb of it. Ron looked at his wand. "My wand." He said. "Look at my wand."

"Be thankful it's not your neck." Harry said. Something jolted.

"What's happening?" Ron asked, in a very high-pitched voice.

"I don't know."

What seemed to be branch came out of nowhere, and began hitting the car. All four of them were screaming. Molly got into Arthur's lap.

"I'm scared." She muttered. The windshield got broken. A smaller branch went through the back window. The car kept getting hit. The roof started to bulge in. Ron and Molly were the ones that were screaming, mainly. They were hit one more time, and the car fell forward. Like a cat, it landed on all fours.

"Come on, go! Fast!" Harry yelled. Ron started the car back up, and drove forward the whole tree went to crash them. Ron stopped the car, and the tree righted itself. The four sat there for a minute, all scared. Molly was shaking. The doors sprang open, and the car shot them out. The trunk opened, and all the luggage flew out. Then the animals. Harry caught Hedwig's cage. Ron caught Scabbers' cage.

"Scabbers, you're okay." He said. The car doors shut. "The car!" they set the animals down, and ran after the car as it drove off. They stopped once they knew that they couldn't catch it.

"Dad's gonna kill me." Ron said. The car went into the Dark Forest.


	3. Day One

Chapter Three

They brought their stuff in and set it down.

"See you, Hedwig." Harry said. They ran up some stairs. "So a house-elf shows up in my bedroom, we can't get through the barrier to platform 9 ¾, we almost get killed by a tree…. Clearly someone doesn't want me here this year."

They stopped walking when the saw Filch standing at the top of the sitars with his cat in his hands.

"Oh, no." Molly whispered.

"Are you going to start packing?" Arthur asked.

"Be a good idea."

"Well, take a good look, kids." Filch said. "This night might well be the last you spend in this castle."

The four looked at each other, worriedly. Filch continued, smirking.

"Oh, dear, we are in trouble." He said.

```~~~SNAPE'S OFFICE~~~```

Snape held up the paper. "You were seen by no less than seven Muggles." He threw the paper down. "Do you have any idea how serious this is? You have risked the exposure of our world. Not to mention the damage you inflicted on a Whomping Willow that's been on these ground since before you were born."

"Honestly, Professor Snape, I think it did more damage to us." Ron said. The three others nodded.

"_Silence_." Snape snapped. He stood. "I assure you that were you in Slytherin and your fate rested with me, the four of you would be on the train home. Tonight." At that point, Snape was standing directly in front of them. "As it is—"

"They are not."

Everyone turned to see Dumbledore and McGonagall at the door.

"Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall." Harry said.

"Headmaster," Snape said. He pointed at the four. "These children have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. As such—"

"I am well aware of our bylaws, Severus," Dumbledore said, as he and McGonagall approached them. "Having written quite a few of them myself. However, as head of Gryffindor house, it is for Professor McGonagall to determine the appropriate action."

"We'll go and get our stuff then." Ron said.

"What are you talking about, Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall asked.

"You're to expel us, aren't you?"

"Not today, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said. The four kids looked at each other, happily. "But I must impress on the four of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to your families tonight, and you will all receive detention."

"Better than being expelled." Arthur muttered.

McGonagall looked at Arthur and Molly. "I'm going to need to see you in my office." She said.

"Now?" Molly asked.

"Now."

```~~~MCGONAGALL'S OFFICE~~~```

"We're not getting a special detention, are we?" Molly asked.

"No, Miss Prewett. But I must tell you this. Since you were placed in first-year classes last year, you will have to take second-year courses this year."

"But-but why?"

"It's very simple. Since the criteria has changed, just like I told you both last year, not only will you be taking second-year courses; you will have to extend your school years to two more."

"So, nine years instead of seven?" Arthur asked.

"I'm afraid so."

```~~~THE NEXT DAY-HERBOLOGY~~~```

"Morning, everyone." Professor Sprout said, walking in. Everyone else was too busy talking to pay any attention. She tapped on a pot. "Good morning, everyone." She said.

"Good morning, Professor Sprout." The class repeated.

"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, second-years. Gather around, everyone. Today, we are going to re-pot Mandrakes." She picked up a pot behind her as everyone stepped up to the table. "Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" she sat the pot in front of her. Hermione's hand went up. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to turn those who have been Petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor." Sprout said. "Now, as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet. But they could knock you out for several hours which is why I've given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So could you please put them on right away? Quickly." Everyone put on their earmuffs. "Flaps tight down, and watch me closely. You grasp your Mandrake firmly," she grabbed hold of the top of a Mandrake. "You pull it sharply up out of the pot." She pulled the Mandrake up, and it began screaming as loud as it could. Everyone, even though they were wearing earmuffs, covered their ears. "Got it? And now you dunk it down in the other pot, and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm." She began to put a little bit of soil into the pot. Neville swayed, and then fell to the ground. Molly laughed. Arthur nudged her.

"Ow." She said. Sprout sighed.

"Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs." She said.

"No, ma'am, he's just fainted." Seamus said.

"Yes, well, just leave him there. Right, on we go. Plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your Mandrake and pull it up."

Everyone grabbed their Mandrake, and pulled it out of the soil. The screams filled the greenhouse. Malfoy stuck his finger in his Mandrake's mouth, and got it bit. He took his finger out, wiped it on his robe, and glared at the Mandrake. He slammed it down in the pot.

```~~~LATER-LUNCHTIME~~~```

Ron put tape on his wand. He looked at it, glumly.

"Say it. I'm doomed." He said.

"You're doomed." Harry said. Molly smirked.

"Shouldn't have hit the wheel so hard." She said.

"She's actually got a point there." Arthur agreed.

"Hi, Harry!" said someone. There was a big flash of light, and the four jumped back. "I'm Colin Creevey. I'm in Gryffindor too." Colin held up a huge camera that he probably used to document his first year at Hogwarts.

"Hi, Colin, nice to meet you." Harry said.

There was an owl screech.

"Ron, is that your owl?" Dean asked. A darkly colored barn owl flew in, a red letter in its mouth.

"That's Errol." Molly said.

"I suggest we duck." Arthur said. The two ducked down under the table as Errol slammed into the potato chips. Colin took a picture of it. Molly and Arthur came back up, potato chips on top of their heads. Molly looked at the letter.

"Oh, no." she said. The Slytherins laughed.

"Bloody bird's a menace." Ron said, and took the letter out of Errol's mouth. Errol jumped up and flew off. Ron looked at the letter. "Oh, no." he said.

"Copy-cat." Molly muttered.

"Look, everyone." Seamus said. "Weasley's got himself a Howler."

The Slytherins kept laughed.

"Go on, Ron." Neville said. "I ignored one from my gran once. It was horrible."

Ron looked at the letter, and opened it with shaking hands. Mrs. Weasley's voice filled the room.

"RONALD WEASLEY!"

Ron dropped the Howler onto the table. It came up by itself, turning into a mouth, and continued.

"HOW _DARE _YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER'S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!" at that last line, the Howler got all up in his face. "IF YOU PUT ANOTHER _TOE _OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU _STRAIGHT HOME_!"

Ron just nodded, wide-eyed. The Howler turned, and faced Ginny. "Oh, and Ginny, dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud."

Ginny looked away from the Howler as everyone looked at her. The Howler turned back to Ron, blew a raspberry, and then ripped itself up.

```~~~DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS~~~```

The door opened, and Lockhart walked out.

"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." He said. "Me."

"We haven't been in here five minutes, and now I would like to projectile vomit all over his nice, clean yellow robes." Molly muttered, her head on the desk. Lockhart continued.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, honorary member of the Dark Force Defense League," he walked over to a very big portrait of him painting himself. "And five times winner of _Witch Weekly's _Most-Charming-Smile Award."

"Your smile isn't charming." Arthur muttered. In front of them, Hermione and Susan Bones were swooning. Lockhart smiled, and stopped.

"But I don't talk about that." He said. "I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at him." He laughed at his own very bad joke. "Now, be warned." He picked up his wand, and walked over to a cage. "It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind." He tapped the cage, and it began rattling. "You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them!" he ripped the maroon cover off of the cage, which revealed-

"Cornish pixies?" Seamus asked.

"Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Seamus began laughing, as did the other boys and Molly.

"Laugh if you will, Mr. Finnegan," Lockhart said. "But pixies can be devilishly tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them." He opened the cage, and all the pixies flew out. Everyone began running about the room. "Come on now, round them up. They're only pixies."

Two pixies flew over to Neville, and picked him up by the ears. They put him on the light. "Please, get me down!" he pleaded. One began to lift Molly up, and she hit it with a book.

"Haha, sucker!"

One grabbed Hermione by the hair.

"Get off me!" she said.

"Stop. Stop. Hold still!" Harry said, whacking the pixie with a book. Lockhart held up his wand.

"_Peskipiksi Pesternomi_!" he said, but the pixies took his wand. They flew up to a chain that was holding up a skeleton of a very large animal. The chain broke when they waved the wand, and the skeleton began to fall.

"Yee-haw!" the pixie sitting on the skeleton exclaimed. Lockhart ran up to his office. He tried to stop the pixies from taking a picture of him, but it didn't work. He looked down at Arthur, Molly, Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"I'll ask you five to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He said, and ran into his office.

"What do we do now?" Ron asked. Hermione stood up.

"_Immobulus_!" she screamed, and the pixies began floating in mid-air. Neville was still on the light fixture.

"Why is it always me?" he asked. Molly shrugged.

"I don't know."


	4. Voices and the Messege in Blood

Chapter Four

```~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~```

They were in their Quidditch robes, and were going to practice.

"I spent the summer devising a whole new Quidditch program." Oliver said. "We are gonna train earlier, harder, and longer." He looked out. "What-? I don't believe it." He said. They walked out just as the Slytherin team did. "Where do you think you're going, Flint?"

"Quidditch practice." Flint answered.

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today."

"Easy, Wood. I've got a note." Flint handed him a piece of parchment.

"Uh-oh. I smell trouble." Ron said, and he and Hermione got up, and walked over to where the teams were standing. Oliver looked at the note.

"'I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.' You've got a new Seeker. Who?"

The Slytherin team parted, and Malfoy walked up.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"That's right." Malfoy said. "And that's not all that's new this year." He motioned to the brooms. Ron's eyes widened.

"Those are Nimbus 2001s. How did you get those?"

"A gift from Draco's father." Flint answered.

"You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best." Malfoy boasted.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in." Hermione snapped. "They got in on pure talent."

Malfoy walked up to her. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." He snapped back. Molly raised a fist, but Arthur held her back. Ron took out his wand.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy." He said. "Eat slugs!" he waved his wand, but the spell backfired. Ron flew back onto the ground, and turned a sickly pale color. Everyone, besides the Slytherin who were laughing, ran over to him.

"You okay, Ron?" Hermione asked. Ron turned, and sat up on his hands. "Say something."

Ron opened his mouth, and a slug came out. A picture was taken. It was Colin.

"Wow! Can you turn him around, Harry?" he asked.

"No, Colin, get out of the way." Harry and Hermione stood, and took Ron by the arms. "Let's take him to Hagrid's." Harry said, as another slug came out of Ron's mouth. Molly closed her eyes and covered her mouth and nose, feeling like she was going to be sick. "He'll know what to do." Arthur closed his eyes as the five headed over to Hagrid's. He shook his head, and opened his eyes as Ron threw up another slug.

```~~~HAGRID'S~~~```

"This calls for specialist's equipment." Hagrid said, bringing in a bucket. He handed it to Ron, who took it. "Nothing to do but wait till it stops, I'm afraid." Hagrid said, sitting down. Ron threw up another slug. "Better out than in. Who was Ron trying to curse, anyway?"

"Malfoy." Harry answered. "He called Hermione… Well, I don't know exactly what it means."

Hermione stood up, and walked a short distance away, her back to the others, and arms crossed. "He called me a Mudblood." She said. Hagrid gasped.

"He did not." He said.

"What's a Mudblood?" Harry asked. Hermione faced him.

"It means 'dirty blood'. Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who's Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me." She explained. "It's not a term one usually hears in civilized conversation."

"See, the thing is, Harry," Hagrid clarified. "There are some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better than anyone else because they're what people call 'pure-blood'."

"That's horrible." Harry said. Ron threw up another slug.

"It's disgusting." He said.

"And it's codswallop to boot." Hagrid spoke. "Dirty blood. Why, there isn't a wizard alive today that's not half-blood or less. More to the point, they've yet to think of a spell that our Hermione can't do."

Hermione had tears in her eyes. "Come here." Hagrid said, extending a hand out to her. Hermione took his hand. "Don't you think on it, Hermione." He said. "Don't you think on it for one minute."

Hermione smiled.

```~~~DETENTION~~~```

Harry and Molly were in the DADA classroom, signing autographs for Lockhart. He signed some too, but they had to help out.

"Children, children, children." Lockhart said. "Can you possibly imagine a better way to serve detention than by helping me answer my fan mail?"

"Yeah. Throwing up slugs." Molly grumbled. Lockhart looked up.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Molly said, forcing a smile on her face.

"Not really." Harry said, after kicking Molly in the shin, making her yelp.

"Fame is a fickle friend, Harry. Celebrity is as celebrity does." Lockhart explained. "Remember that."

Harry began to look around. "What?" he whispered.

"Sorry?" Lockhart said.

"That voice." Harry repeated.

"Voice?" Lockhart looked around.

"What voice?" Molly asked.

"Didn't you hear it?" Harry asked.

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Lockhart asked. "I think you're a bit drowsy. And great Scott, no wonder. Look at the time. We've been here nearly four hours. Spooky how the time flies when one is having fun."

"Spooky."

```~~~LATER~~~```

They walked out.

"Fun? He calls that fun? I call it kill me now please." Molly said.

"Well, people have very different ideas of fun, Mols." Harry explained.

"I know. And his is horrible."

Harry stopped. Molly looked at him.

"What is it?" she asked. Harry went to the wall, and began walking alongside it. Molly walked after him.

"Harry!" Hermione said, Ron behind her. Molly looked behind Ron.

"Where's Arthur?" she asked. Ron looked behind him.

"What the-? Now where'd he go? He was right behind me." he said.

"Don't worry about it. He's probably in the Common Room." Molly said.

"Did you hear it?" Harry asked. The two looked confused.

"Hear what?" Ron asked.

"That voice."

"Voice? What voice?" Hermione asked.

"I heard it first in Lockhart's office. And again just—" Harry stopped talking. "It's moving. I think it's going to kill."

"Kill?" Ron and Molly asked. Harry ran off in front of them.

"Harry, wait! Not so fast!" Hermione yelled, as the three ran after him. They turned a corner, and caught up with him, and stopped when they saw a line of spiders crawling out of the window.

"Strange." Harry said. "I've never seen spiders act like that before."

"I don't like spiders." Ron said. They looked down on the other side. "What's that?" they looked up, and saw a message, written in two different handwritings.

"'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware.'" Hermione read. "It's written in blood."

Harry's eye caught something. "Oh, no."

Hermione looked the way he was looking, and gasped. Ron and Molly looked the same way, and looked disgusted.

"It's Filch's cat." Harry said. "It's Mrs. Norris."

And right then, everyone else came up, gasping. Out of the Gryffindor crowd, Arthur came to the front. Molly looked at him.

"Where were you?" she asked.

"Nowhere." Arthur answered, shaking his head as if to clear it. Colin held up his camera, put Percy lightly pushed it down.

"'Enemies of the Heir, beware.'" Malfoy read. He looked at them. "You'll be next, Mudbloods."

"What's going on here?" Filch demanded, making his way through the crowd. "Go on. Make way, make way." He approached the five kids. "Potter? What are you…?" his eyes snapped up, and locked on his cat. "Mrs. Norris? You've murdered my cat."

"No. No." Harry said.

"I'll kill you." Filch grabbed Harry by the collar. "I'll kill you!"

"Argus!" someone snapped. It was Dumbledore. He, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Lockhart made their way through the crowd. "Argus, I…" he noticed the message, as did the other teachers behind him. "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately."

Everyone began walking off.

"Everyone except-" Dumbledore pointed at Harry, Ron, Hermione, Arthur, and Molly. "-you five."

"Ravenclaws, follow me!" said a Prefect, and then everyone else in the student body dispersed. The teachers and the five suspects along with Filch stayed put. Lockhart walked over to Mrs. Norris.  
"She's not dead, Argus." Dumbledore explained. "She has been Petrified."

"Thought so." Lockhart said. "So unlucky I wasn't there. I know exactly the countercurse that could've spared her."

Molly rolled her eyes. Dumbledore continued.

"But how she has been Petrified, I cannot say."

"Ask him." Filch snapped. "It's him that's done it. You saw what he wrote on the wall."

"It's not true, sir. I swear. I never touched Mrs. Norris." Harry defended.

"Rubbish."

"If I might, headmaster?" Snape spoke up. "Perhaps Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. However…. The circumstances are suspicious." Snape approached five kids. "I, for one, don't recall seeing Potter or Prewett at dinner."

"I'm afraid that's my doing, Severus." Lockhart explained. Snape turned to him. "You see, Harry and Molly were helping me answer my fan mail."

"That's why Ron, Arthur, and I went looking for them, Professor." Hermione said. Snape looked toward them. "We'd just found them when Harry said…." She, Ron, Arthur, and Molly looked at Harry.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Snape pushed.

"When I said I wasn't hungry." Harry lied. "We were heading back to the Common Room when we found Mrs. Norris."

Snape shot them a skeptical look. He turned.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus." Dumbledore said.

"My cat has been Petrified." Filch said. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. As I understand it, Madam Sprout has a very healthy growth of Mandrake."

Sprout nodded. Dumbledore continued.  
"When matured, a potion will be made which will revive Mrs. Norris. And in the meantime, I strongly recommend caution to all."

```~~~LATER~~~```

They were walking to the Gryffindor Common Room. Right now, they were on the staircases.

"It's a bit strange, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Strange?" Harry questioned. Hermione faced him.

"You hear this voice, a voice only you can hear, and then Mrs. Norris turns up Petrified. It's just strange."

"Do you think I should have told them? Dumbledore and the others, I mean?"

"Are you mad?" Ron demanded.

"No, Harry. Even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign." Hermione explained. She turned around, and walked off.

"She's right, you know." A portrait said. Harry, Ron, Molly, and Arthur just looked at it. Then they followed Hermione.


	5. Plans and the Quidditch Game

Chapter Five

```~~~TRANSFIGURATION~~~```

"Could I have your attention, please?" McGonagall said. "Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets. Like so." She pointed her wand a bird. "1, 2, 3, _Vera Verto_."

The bird turned into a glass water goblet. "Now it's your turn." McGonagall said. "Who would like to go first? Ah, Mr. Weasley." She walked over to Ron. "'One, two, three. _Vera Verto_.'"

Ron nodded, and cleared his throat. He pointed his wand at Scabbers and flicked his wand three times. "_Vera Verto_!" he said, and Scabbers turned into a very hairy water goblet. That squeaked and had a tail. Molly laughed as Arthur bit his lip.

"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley." McGonagall said. Hermione raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione said. McGonagall hesitated, and then answered.

"Very well." She said. "You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."

"Three guess who." Ron said.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts." McGonagall continued. "He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, pure-bloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it, until that time when his own true Heir returned to the school. The Heir alone would be able to open the Chamber, and unleash the horror within, and by so doing purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns." Hermione said.

"Well, naturally the school has been searched many times. No such chamber has been found."

"Professor? What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

"Well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home of a monster."

Ron's eyes widened and he looked behind him to see a smirking Malfoy.

```~~~AFTER CLASS~~~```

"Do you think it's true? Do you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Hermione said. "Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are."

"But if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it really has been opened, that means—" Harry started.

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. The question is, who is it?" Hermione finished.

"Let's think." Ron said. "Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?"

"Malfoy?" Arthur asked.

"If you're talking about Malfoy—" Hermione started.

"Of course. You heard him." Ron said. "'You'll be next, Mudbloods.'"

"I heard him. But Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin."

"Contrary to what you think, Ron," Molly said. "Malfoy's kinda…. Stupid. He's not bright enough to be the Heir of Slytherin."

"She's right."

"But maybe Ron's right, Hermione. I mean, look at his family." Harry said. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries."

"Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we can trick them into telling." Ron said.

"Even they aren't that thick." Hermione said. "But there might be another way. Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention we'd be breaking about 50 school rules… and it'll be dangerous. Very dangerous."

```~~~LIBRARY~~~```

Hermione walked over to them, a copy of Moste Potente Potions in her hand.

"Here it is." She said. "The Polyjuice Potion. 'Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another.'"

"You mean if Harry, Arthur, Molly, and I drink that stuff, Harry and I would turn into Crabbe and Goyle, and they'd turn into whomever?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Hermione answered.

"Wicked! Malfoy will tell us anything."

"Exactly. But it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion."

"Well, how long will it take to make?" Harry asked. Hermione looked at him.

"A month." She said.

"A _month_?" Harry repeated. "But, Hermione, if Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the Muggle-borns in the school by then."

"I know. But it's the only plan we've got."

```~~~THE NEXT DAY-QUIDDITCH GAME~~~```

Slytherin was ahead of Gryffindor, 80 to 30. Molly and Arthur were like the twins-two inseparable Beaters on opposite sides of the field. The twins were on the left, Molly and Arthur on the right. At this point, Angelina had the Quaffle, and a Slytherin player knocked it out of her hand. He took it, and flew over to the Gryffindor goals, and then threw it to a different player when he saw Harry behind him. A Slytherin player knocked a Gryffindor one out of the sky. The other made a point. The Slytherins cheered.

"Another goal for Slytherin." Lee said, and grimaced as he changed the score. "They lead Gryffindor 90 to 30."

The Slytherin players flew over Harry, and one tried to knock him off of his broom. Harry flew above the field to find the Snitch. Malfoy followed him.

"Alright there, Scarhead?" he said. Harry dodged a Bludger that swooped over him.

"Watch yourself, Harry!" Oliver said. The Bludger circled back around.

"Wood, look out!" Harry said. The Bludger rammed into Oliver's broom, breaking it. The Bludger chased after Harry. Molly and Arthur flew near the stands, and heard Hagrid say,

"Blimey! Harry's got himself a rogue Bludger. That's been tampered with, that has."

Ron took out his wand. "I'll stop it." He said.

"No! Even with a proper wand, it's too risky. You could hit Harry." Hermione said. Harry dodged the Bludger, making it go through a bunch of stands. He stopped in front of Malfoy.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" he asked. The Bludger came back around as Harry saw the Snitch. He ducked, as did Malfoy, and then went after the Snitch, and went underneath the stands.

"Where is he?" Molly asked.

"I don't know!" Arthur said. "Don't look at me."

A Bludger zoomed towards them. Molly screamed, and they separated. They saw Harry and Malfoy come back up, and Colin took a picture. He went wide-eyed, and ducked as the Bludger zoomed over him. Harry and Malfoy disappeared again.

"Dammit, I just saw him!" Arthur said. Malfoy suddenly came up out from underneath where he was, and landed on the ground, and did the splits. He sat back, eyes wide, and his hands covering his groin. Molly laughed.

"See? This is why I'm glad I'm a girl." She said.

"Except the Bludger that you took to the boob." Arthur said. Molly pointed a finger at him.

"At least my leg wasn't broken. All I had was a bruise."

Harry was zooming after the Snitch when the Bludger came around, and hit him in the arm. Molly gasped. "Oh, my God." She said. Harry cradled his arm to his chest, and continued to go after the Snitch. He had his free arm out, only on his broom by his legs, and then he fell onto the sand. Suddenly-

"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch. Gryffindor wins!" Lee announced. The Bludger came down to attack Harry, trying multiple times to get him. Once on the right side, once on the left, and once in the middle. Hagrid, Hermione, and Ron ran over to him. Hermione pointed her wand at the runaway Bludger.

"_Finite Incantatem_!" she said, and the Bludger exploded. Molly and Arthur landed, and ran to Harry.

"Thank you." He said.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked him.

"No, I think my-I think my arm is broken."

Lockhart ran over. "Not to worry, Harry." He said. "I will fix that arm of yours straightaway."

"No, not you." Harry said, as more people came over to them.

"Boy doesn't know what he's saying." Lockhart gently took Harry's arm. "This won't hurt a bit." He took out his wand, and pointed it at Harry's arm. "_Brackium Emendo_!" he said. He lifted Harry's arm, and it was limp.

"Ew." Molly said.

"I'm so glad I don't have a broken limb." Arthur muttered.

"Ew." Ron said. Lockhart laughed nervously.

"Yes, well, that can sometimes happen, um, but the point is," he bent Harry's arm back all the way. "You can no longer feel any pain, and, very clearly, the bones are not broken."

"Broken?" Hagrid asked. "There's no bones left."

Harry's arm went back to how it was.

"Much more flexible, though." Lockhart said.

```~~~HOSPITAL WING~~~```

Malfoy was on a bed, groaning.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, stop making such a fuss." Madam Pomfrey said, as she walked in. "You can go. Out of my way. Out of my way. Should have been brought straight to me." She said, as she walked over to the side of Harry's bed. "I can mend bones in a heartbeat, but growing them back…."

"You will be able to, won't you?" Hermione asked.

"Oh I'll be able to, certainly. But it'll be painful. You're in for a rough night, Potter." She filled a glass with something that looked like water. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

Harry took the glass, and started to drink what he was given, but he spit it out. Molly screamed as she jumped back, because she was right in front of Harry. It actually made him and the others laugh.

"Well, what do you expect? Pumpkin Juice?" Pomfrey said, taking the glass from him. Molly looked at all the people who were still laughing. She pointed at Harry.

"You better be pretty damn glad you have no bones in an arm. I don't smack cripples. But I will smack you." She turned to Arthur, and smacked him.

"Ow." He said, rubbing his arm.

"You deserved that." She snapped.


	6. Duelling Club

Chapter Six

```~~~THE NEXT DAY-GIRL'S BATHROOM~~~```

"Again? You mean the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione asked. She was mixing the potion, and sat directly in front of the cauldron.

"Of course. Don't you see?" Ron said. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened it when he was at school here." Ron was leaning on one of the bathroom stalls, Harry was sitting on the floor near Hermione, and Molly was sitting almost in one of the bathroom sinks, and Arthur leaned on the sink that was next to the one his girlfriend was almost sitting in. "Now he's taught Draco how to do it."

"Maybe." Hermione said. "We'll have to wait for the Polyjuice Potion to know for sure."

"Enlighten me. Why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight in the middle of the girls' lavatory? Don't you think we'll get caught?"

Hermione chuckled. "No. No one ever comes in here."

"Why?"

"Moaning Myrtle."

"Who?"

A ghost came out of a stall. "Moaning Myrtle." Hermione repeated.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?"

"I'm Moaning Myrtle." The ghost said, getting all up in Ron's face. She flew over the sinks.

"Holy shit." Molly muttered. The ghost continued talking.

"I wouldn't expect you to know me." She said. "Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?" she then screamed, and flew back into the stall and toilet. But before, she had passed over Molly, making her squirm and fall into the sink.

"Ow. Okay, that was the faucet." Molly said.

"Need help?" Ron asked.

"No. I just got my ass wedged in a sink." Molly said, through closed teeth. Arthur took molly by the hand, and helped her out of the sink. "Thank you."

"She's a little sensitive." Hermione said, talking about Myrtle.

```~~~DUELING CLUB~~~```

Everyone was chattering and moving about. Lockhart stepped onto the Dueling stage.

"Gather round!" he said. Everyone crowded up to the stage. "Gather round. Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?" he asked. Molly rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms.

"Unfortunately." She muttered.

"I can't stand this guy." Arthur muttered. Molly raised her eyebrows in agreement.

"I can't either. He's not even cute." She said. All of the other girls were swooning. Molly swore she saw a guy swoon. Her eyes widened. "Arthur, don't look now, but some Hufflepuff boy is swooning over _him_." She nodded towards Lockhart.

"Yeah, that's not weird at all." Arthur muttered.

"Excellent." Lockhart said, when everyone quieted down. "In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works."

He took off his robe that he was wearing on one shoulder, and threw it into the crowd. Angelina caught it, and smiled like there was no tomorrow. Molly rolled her eyes.

"This disgusts me. You wanna leave?" she asked Arthur.

"Not really. I wanna see if he makes a fool out of himself." Arthur replied.

"I bet he does." Molly muttered. Lockhart put a glove on his left hand, and then placed his hands on his hips.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape." Everyone looked to see Snape walk up the steps and onto the stage. "He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry. You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him. Never fear." He approached Snape, and took out his wand. They held it in front of their faces, brought them down, bowed, turned, and walked five paces away from each other. They turned, and got ready. "One. Two. Three!"

"_Expelliarmus_!" Snape said, and Lockhart flew back. A lot of the girls grimaced, except for Molly, who was laughing with the boys.

"Hey, thanks for choosing to stay here, Arthur." She said. The two high-fived.

"Do you think he's alright?" Hermione asked.

"Who cares?" Ron, Arthur, and Molly said at the same time. Lockhart stood.

"An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape," he said, walking over to him. "But if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious of what you were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy."

Molly snorted.

"Okay." Arthur said, disbelieving. Snape spoke up.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, professor." He said.

"Snape one, Lockhart zero." Molly muttered.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape." Lockhart said. "Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter, Weasley, how about you?" he was talking about Ron. But Harry walked up there. Snape spoke.

"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells." He said. "We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?" he turned, pointed at Malfoy, and motioned him to get up there. Malfoy did. Harry got on as Lockhart was heading to the end.

"Good luck, Potter." He said.

"Thank you, sir." Harry replied. He and Malfoy were face to face with each other.

"Wands at the ready." Lockhart said. The boys placed their wands in front of their faces.

"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy asked.

"You wish." Harry snapped. They put their wands down, and walked five paces away from each other. They stood at the ready.

"On the count of three," Lockhart said. "Cast your charms to disarm your opponent. Only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here. One. Two."

"_Everte Statum_!" Malfoy yelled. Harry flew back to the very end of the stage. The Slytherins laughed. Malfoy smirked. But Harry got up, and that smirk was gone.

"_Rictusempra_!" Harry yelled. Malfoy was blown back, and landed in front of Snape, almost like the day of the Quidditch match. Snape grabbed him by the back of the robe, picked him up, and shoved him forward.

"I said disarm only." Lockhart said. Both of the boys were standing at the ready again.

"_Serpensortia_!" Malfoy yelled, and a cobra shot out from his wand. Molly went wide-eyed, but not as much as Arthur. His biggest fear was snakes, after all. Malfoy smirked, but Snape walked up.

"Don't move, Potter." He said. "I'll get rid of it for you."

"Allow me, Professor Snape." Lockhart said, making Snape stop in his tracks. "_Alarte Ascendare_!" The snake flew up into the air, and then right back down. And it was pissed. Harry walked up to it, and began speaking. But they couldn't understand a word he said. It was in Parseltongue.  
"Oh, my God." Molly said. Her hand flew up to her mouth. Arthur was literally frozen in place, his eyes fixated on the snake. The snake was facing a Hufflepuff, and looked as if it was going to attack. Harry spoke again, and the snake looked at him. It hissed.

"_Vipera Evanesca_." Snape said, and the snake was gone after being burnt up from the middle.

"What are you playing at?" the Hufflepuff demanded of Harry. Harry looked confused. Everyone was staring at him, and he didn't know why.

```~~~GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM~~~```

"You're a Parselmouth?" Ron asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" Harry asked.

"You can talk to snakes." Hermione said.

"I know. I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once." Harry answered. Molly laughed.

"Nice going." She said.

"Once." Harry said, when he saw Ron's look. "But so what? I bet loads of people here can do it."

"No they can't." Hermione said. "It's not a very common gift, Harry. This is bad."  
"What's bad? If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin—"

"Oh, that's what you said to it!" Ron said.

"You were there. You heard me."

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language."

"I spoke a different language?"

"It was fucking creepy." Arthur said.

"But I didn't realize— how can I speak a language without knowing I can?"

"I don't know, Harry." Hermione said. "But it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something. Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin house is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes too."

"Exactly." Ron said. "Now the whole school's gonna think you're his great-great-great grandson or something."

"But I'm not!" Harry said. "I can't be."

"He lived a thousand years ago." Hermione explained. "For all we know, you could be."


	7. Polyjuice Potion Gets Information

Chapter Seven

They were in study hall. Harry looked around to see everyone staring at him. He shut his book, and put down his quill. "I'll see you back in the Common Room." He said, and left. Molly glared at everyone, slammed her book shut, and followed him. She walked out to see Harry looking around.

"Harry?"

"It's that voice again, Molly." Harry whispered. He went alongside a wall, and seemed to be following it. Confused yet again, Molly followed him. They saw a large puddle of water, and walked forward to see Sir Nicholas Petrified, his head resting on his shoulder, and near him lay Justin. Harry and Molly knelt down, and looked at him.

"Caught in the act." Said a voice. The two jumped, and saw Filch standing there. "I'll have you out this time, Potter. Mark my words." He walked off.

"No. Mr. Filch! You don't understand-" Harry said. They saw a line of spiders going over and out to the window, just like the day that they had found Mrs. Norris. Filch returned with McGonagall, who was shocked. "Professor," Harry said. "I swear I didn't."  
"This is out of my hands, Potter." McGonagall said. She looked at Molly.

"I did not do this. And neither did Harry. I swear."  
"Both of you, come with me."

```~~~LATER~~~```

They walked up to a doorway with a stone griffin inside it.

"Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you." McGonagall said. She motioned the two inside, and Harry and Molly stepped towards the platform with the griffin. "Sherbet Lemon." McGonagall opened her hands, and the platform turned into a staircase. They stepped on, and walked inside Dumbledore's office. When they walked in, they saw portraits of previous headmasters snoozing around them.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said.

"Yoo-hoo." Molly said. Harry shut the door, and they neared the desk. Harry looked at the Sorting Hat.

"Bee in your bonnet, Potter?" it asked.

"I-I-I-I was just wondering if you put me in the right house." Harry said.

"Yes. You were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said last year. You would have done well in Slytherin."

"You're wrong." Harry said. The hat actually looked insulted. They saw a bird sitting on its perch.

"What a pretty bird." Molly said. Suddenly, it burst into flames. "Oh my God."

"Harry? Molly?"

"Professor." Harry said. "Your bird… There was nothing we could do. He just caught fire."

"Big fire. Big, big fire. Boom." Molly said.

"And about time, too." Dumbledore said. "He's been looking dreadful for days. Pity you had to see him on a burning day." The two kids looked very confused. "Fawkes is a phoenix," Dumbledore said, as he came down the stairs. "The burst into flame when it is time for them to die, and then they are reborn from the ashes."

Suddenly, a little head popped up from the mound of the ashes.

"Aw, he's so cute." Molly said.

"Fascinating creatures, phoenixes." Dumbledore said. "They can carry immensely heavy loads. Their tears have healing powers."

The door suddenly opened. Hagrid came in.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir! Wait! Listen!" he said.

"Is he holding a dead chicken?" Molly asked.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, it wasn't Harry or Molly."  
"Hagrid-" Dumbledore held up a hand.

"I'd be prepared to swear it in front of the Ministry of Magic."

"Hagrid! Relax. I do not believe that Harry or Molly attacked anyone."

"Of course you don't." Hagrid said. "And—oh. Oh. Right. Well, I'll, uh, I'll just wait outside then."

"Yes."

"You don't think it was us, professor?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry. I do not think it was you." Harry nodded. "But I must ask you, is there something you wish to tell me?"

Harry shook his head no. "No, sir." He said. "Nothing."

"Very well, then. Off you go."

The two nodded, and walked out.

```~~~THE NEXT NIGHT~~~```

Hermione walked over to them, and sat down.

"Everything's set." She said. "We just need a bit of who you're changing into."

"Crabbe, Goyle, Flint, and who are you going to be, Molly?"

"Pansy Parkinson." Molly said, grimacing.

"We also need to make sure that the _real _ones can't burst in on us while we're interrogating Malfoy." Hermione said.  
"How?" Ron asked.

"I've got it all worked out." She took four cupcakes out of her bag. "I filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. Simple but powerful." She set them down. "Now, once they're asleep, hide them in a broomstick cupboard, and pull out a few of their hairs. And put on their uniforms."

"Whose hair are you ripping out, then?"

"I've already got mine. Millicent Bulstrode. Slytherin." Hermione held a test-tube in her hand. "I got this off her robes. I'm going to go check on the Polyjuice Potion. Make sure that Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Flint find these."

```~~~LATER~~~```

They set the four cupcakes down, and Ron took out his wand. He cleared his throat.

"Uh, Ron, maybe I should do it." Harry said. Ron looked at his wand.

"Yeah. Right." He said, and put it away. Harry took out his wand.

"_Wingardum Leviosa_." He said, and the cupcakes floated into the air. They heard a door close, and the four hid. The four Slytherins, which they had been expecting, walked out, Crabbe and Goyle with cupcakes in their arms.

"Cool." Crabbe said. The four walked up to the cupcakes, and grabbed them. They then began to eat them. They then noticed something was wrong, and then fell backwards, asleep.

"How thick could you get?" Ron asked.

"Come on, let's get them." Harry said.

```~~~GIRL'S BATHROOM~~~```

Hermione poured the potion into five glasses.

"We have exactly one hour before we change back into ourselves." She said. She handed one to each of them, and then picked up her own. "Add the hairs." They all put the hairs that they had taken into the potion.  
"Ew." Ron said. "Essence of Crabbe."

"Cheers." Hermione said. They clinked their glasses together, and then drank.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Ron said, and ran into a stall. He dropped his glass.

"Me too." Hermione said, and ran into another stall, after dropping her glass. Molly ran into a stall. And then Arthur ran into the next one. Both of them dropped their glasses before they ran into their stalls. Ron walked out of his first. Molly was next.

"Harry? Molly?" he said. Arthur walked out. Molly yelped.

"Arthur?" she said.

"Ron." Harry said. "Arthur. Molly."

"Bloody hell!" Ron said. He looked like Crabbe, Harry looked like Goyle, Molly looked like Pansy, and Arthur looked like Flint.

"We still sound like ourselves." Harry said. "You need to sound more like Crabbe."

"Uh, bloody hell." Ron said, making his voice deeper.

"Excellent."

"But where's Hermione?"

"I…." Hermione started. "I don't think I'm going. You go on without me."

"Hermione, are you okay?"

"Just go. You're wasting time."

"Come on."

The four ran out of the bathroom.

```~~~DUNGEONS~~~```

Harry looked down a corridor. "I think the Slytherin Common Room's this way." He said.

"Okay." Ron said. They walked down the corridor. Then—

"Excuse me."

It was Percy. He walked towards them.

"Oh shit." Molly muttered.

"What are you doing d—?" Ron started, but Harry elbowed him. He made his voice deeper. "I mean, what are you doing down here?"

Percy shot him a curious look, and then said, "I happen to be a school Prefect. You, on the other hand, have no business wandering the corridors at this time of night."

Harry nodded.

"Um…" Ron started.

"I'm—"

"Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Flint, where have you four been?" Malfoy asked, turning the corner. "Pigging out in the Great Hall all this time?" Ron nodded. Malfoy approached them. "Why are you wearing glasses?"

"Ah, um, reading." Harry said, putting them in his pocket.

"Reading?" Malfoy asked. "I didn't know you could read." He faced Percy. "And what are you doing down here, Weasley?"

"Mind your attitude, Malfoy." Percy snapped.

```~~~SLYTHERIN COMMON ROOM~~~```

Malfoy plopped onto a couch. "Well, sit down." He said. The four others looked around, and then sat down. "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave. They're an embarrassment to the wizarding world. All of them."

Ron's fists clenched.

"What's wrong with you, Crabbe?"

Harry nudged his arm. "Stomachache." Ron said. Arthur bit his lip, holding back his own fists as well.

"You know," Malfoy continued. "I'm surprised the _Dailey Prophet _hasn't done a report on all these attacks. I suppose Dumbledore is trying to hush it all up. Father always said that Dumbledore was the worst thing that ever happened to this place."

"You're wrong!" Harry said. They all looked at him. Malfoy stood.

"What?" he demanded. "You think there's someone here who's worse than Dumbledore?"

Ron shook his head, along with Molly and Arthur. Malfoy pushed.  
"Well? Do you?"

"Harry Potter?" Harry asked. The others nodded.

"Good one, Goyle." Malfoy said. "You're absolutely right. Saint Potter. And people actually think that _he's _the Heir of Slytherin?"

The four others looked at each other. "But then you must have some idea who's behind it all." Harry said.

"You know I don't, Goyle. I told you yesterday. How many times do I have to tell you?" he sat on a desk, and picked up a little box. He rattled it "Is this yours?" Harry shook his head. Malfoy put it in his pocket. "But my father did say this: It's been 50 years since the Chamber was opened. He wouldn't tell me who opened it. Only that they were expelled. The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So it's only a matter of time before one of them is killed this time. As for me, I hope its Granger."

Ron stood, and Harry, Molly, and Arthur held him back.  
"What's the matter with you four?" Malfoy asked. "You're acting very….odd."

"It's his stomachache." Harry lied. "Calm down."

"S-Scar." Ron said. Harry touched his forehead.

"Hair." He said, and pointed at Ron. Molly and Arthur looked at each other, wide-eyed. They were all turning back into themselves. They then ran out.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Malfoy demanded.

```~~~GIRL'S BATHROOM~~~```

"That was close." Ron said. They were themselves again.

"Hermione. Come out. We've got loads to tell you." Harry said.

"Go away." Hermione said. Myrtle flew up to them, gasping.

"Wait till you see." She said. "It's awful." She chuckled, and floated in-between Harry and Ron.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, cautiously. "Are you okay?" he opened the stall door.

"Do you remember me telling you that the Polyjuice Potion was only for human transformations?" Hermione asked. Harry took his glasses out of his pocket. "It was cat hair I plucked off Millicent Bulstrode's robes." She turned around, and looked like a grey and black tabby cat. "Look at my face."

"Look at your tail." Ron said. Behind them, Myrtle was laughing her ass off.


	8. A Big Surprise

Chapter Eight

```~~~A FEW DAYS LATER~~~```

"Have you spoken to Hermione?" Ron asked.

"She should be out of the hospital in a few days, when she stops coughing up fur balls." Harry replied. They saw water on the staircase. Earlier, they were looking for Arthur because he was nowhere to be seen, so it was Ron, Harry, and Molly. "What's this?" Harry asked. Then he, Ron, and Molly followed the trail of water.

"Yuck." Ron said.

"Looks like Moaning Myrtle's flooded the bathroom." Harry said.

"Oh this is great. These shoes are new too, dammit." Molly grumbled.

```~~~GIRL'S BATHROOM~~~```

They walked in to see all of the sinks overflowed and on high. Above them, Moaning Myrtle was on the window, crying. She looked at them.

"Come to throw something else at me?" she asked.

"Why would I throw something at you?" Harry asked her, very confused.

"Don't ask me." She got up. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me."

"But, it can't hurt if throws something at you." Ron said. "I mean, it'll just go right through you."

Myrtle swooped over to him, angry. Ron was doe-eyed and scared. "Sure!" she snapped. "Let's all throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it. Ten points if you get it through her stomach!" she 'punched' Ron in the stomach, but it just went through him. "Fifty points if it goes through her head!" she did the same to his head.

"But who threw it at you, anyway?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see them. I do know it was two people, though. I was just sitting in the U-bend thinking about death, and it feel through the top of my head." Myrtle began crying again, and flew off. Harry noticed a book on the floor, and picked it up. He shook the water off of it, and looked at it.

```~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~```

"It was Hagrid." Harry said. "Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets 50 years ago."

"It can't be Hagrid. It just can't be." Hermione said. It was Ron, Hermione, Harry, Molly, and Arthur. Recently, Molly had been trying to get Arthur to talk about where he had been the night before, but all she got was a shake of the head and a blank stare. She knew something was off. Ron spoke.

"We don't even know this Tom Riddle." He said. "He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me."

"Besides, Harry." Molly spoke up. "How can you even trust someone you met out of a book?"

"I'm not trusting him, Mols. But it was Hagrid. I saw it with my own eyes. The monster had killed somebody. What would any of us have done?" Harry defended. Arthur was staring off into space. Molly waved her hand in front of his face.

"Arthur." She said. "Art." She whistled. Arthur shook his head, and looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing." Molly said.

"Look." Hermione said. "Hagrid's our friend. Why don't we just go and ask him about it?"

"That would be a cheerful visit." Ron said. ""Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?""

"Mad and hairy?" asked a voice behind them. "You wouldn't be talking about me, now, would you?" it was Hagrid.

"No." the five answered at the same time. There was an awkward silence.

"What's that you got, Hagrid?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, it's a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent. For the Mandrakes, you know. Now, according to Professor Sprout, they've still got a bit of growing up to do. But once their acne's cleared up, we'll be able to chop them up and stew them, and then we'll get those people down at the hospital unpetrified. In the meantime, though, you five had best be looking after yourselves. Alright?"

The five nodded, and Hagrid walked off. Neville raced towards them. "Hello, Neville." Hagrid said.

"Harry," Neville said. "I don't know who did it, but you'd better come. Come on!"

```~~~BOYS' DORMITORY~~~```

They all ran up the stairs to the dormitory. The place was trashed. Paper, feathers, glass, and bed sheets were strewn all over the room.

"It had to be a Gryffindor." Hermione said. "Nobody else knows our password." Harry was looking through his things. "Unless it wasn't a student."

"Whoever it was, they must have been looking for something." Ron said.

"Desperately." Molly muttered.

"And they found it." Harry said.

"Shit." Arthur grumbled. Harry faced the others.

"Tom Riddle's diary is gone."

```~~~NEXT DAY-QUIDDITCH GAME-GRYFFINDOR TENT~~~```

"Alright, listen up." Oliver said. "We play our game, Hufflepuff doesn't stand a chance." He picked up his broom, and began to head out, everyone else following him. "We're stronger, quicker, and smarter."

"Not to mention they're dead scared that Harry will petrify them if they fly anywhere _near _him." George remarked.

"Well, that too." Oliver agreed. Molly snickered. McGonagall walked up to them as they walked out. "Professor McGonagall."

"This match has been canceled." McGonagall told them.

"We can't cancel Quidditch." Oliver said.

"Silence, Wood. You and your teammates will go to Gryffindor Tower. Now. Potter, Prewett, and Arthur, you and I will find Mr. Weasley. There's something the four of you have to see."

```~~~HOSPITAL WING~~~```

"I warn you, this could be a wee bit of a shock." McGonagall told them. They saw Hermione on the bed, Petrified.

"Oh my God." Molly's hand flew up to her mouth. Arthur looked at Hermione's body, wide-eyed.

"Hermione!" Ron said, in a shout-whisper.

"She was found near the library," McGonagall explained. "Along with this." She picked up a mirror. "Does it mean anything to any of you?"

The four shook their heads.

"No." Harry said. McGonagall placed the mirror down.

```~~~GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM~~~```

McGonagall walked in, a piece of parchment in her hand.

"Could I have your attention, please?" she said. "Because of recent events, these new rules will be put into effect immediately: "All students will return to their house Common Rooms by 6:00 every evening. All students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions." I should tell you this," McGonagall continued, rolling up the piece of parchment. "Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, it is likely the school will be closed." She then walked out, leaving all the students murmuring. Arthur and Ginny looked around, cautiously. Harry turned to face Molly, Ron, and Arthur.

"We got to talk to Hagrid, guys. I can't believe it's him, but if he did set the monster loose last time, he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets. That's a start."

"But you heard McGonagall." Ron said. "We're not allowed to leave the tower except for class."

"I think it's time to get my Dad's old cloak out again."


	9. Hagrid's Advice

Chapter Nine

```~~~LATER~~~```

They neared Hagrid's hut, and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" they heard Hagrid say. But it wasn't friendly at all. He kicked his door open lightly. "Hello?" he looked around. "Hello?"

The four took the cape off of themselves. Molly jumped back. "Ah! Crossbow!" she said. She poked it. "It's pointy."

Hagrid just looked relieved to see them.

"What's that for?" Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing." Hagrid answered. "I was expecting…. It doesn't matter. Come on in. I just made a pot of tea."

They walked inside, and Hagrid was pouring the tea, but it began to overflow.

"Hagrid, are you okay?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine. I'm alright." Hagrid reassured. He nearly dropped the kettle.

"Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh, yeah. I heard about that, alright."

"Look, we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?"

"What you have to understand about that is—" Hagrid got cut off by a knock on the door. Fang began barking. "Quick. Under the cloak. Don't say a word. Be quiet, all of you."

Harry, Ron, Arthur, and Molly ran over to the other side of the room, and put the cloak on. Hagrid opened the door, crossbow at the ready. He lowered it.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir." He said.

"Good evening, Hagrid." Said Dumbledore. "I wonder, could we…?"

"Of course. Come in. Come in." Hagrid said. Dumbledore and another man walked in.

"That's Dad's boss." Ron said. "Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic."

"Bad business, Hagrid, very bad business." Fudge said. "Had to come. Three attacks on Muggle-borns. Things have gone far enough. The Ministry's got to act."

"But I never— you know I'd never, professor." Hagrid said to Dumbledore.

"I want it understood Cornelius that Hagrid has my full confidence." Dumbledore said.

"Albus look," Fudge said. "Hagrid's record is against him. I've got to take him."

Molly did a small gasp. Arthur covered her mouth.

"Take me?" Hagrid asked. "Take me where?" Not Azkaban prison."

"I'm afraid we have no choice, Hagrid."

The door opened more, and another voice spoke.

"Already here, Fudge?" it asked. It was the voice of Lucius Malfoy. "Good." He walked in.

"What are you doing here?" Hagrid demanded of him. "Get out of my house!"

"Believe me," Lucius said. "I take absolutely no pleasure being inside your…" as he said this, he unknowingly moved towards the four under the cloak. "You call this a house? No." he turned. "I simply called up the school, and was told the headmaster was here."

"Well, what exactly is it that you want with me?" Dumbledore asked.

"The other governors and I have decided it's time for you to step aside. This is an order of suspension." Lucius held up a piece of parchment. He walked towards Dumbledore. "You'll find all 12 signatures on it."

Dumbledore took it, but reluctantly. Lucius continued.

"I'm afraid we fell you've rather lost your touch." He said. "Well, what with all these attacks, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts." Lucius unknowingly faced the four kids again. "I can only imagine what an awful loss that would be to the school."

"You can't take Professor Dumbledore away." Hagrid objected. "Take him away, and the Muggle-borns won't stand a chance. You mark my words, there'll be killings next!"

Lucius faced him. "You think so?" he asked.

"Calm yourself, Hagrid." Dumbledore said. "If the governors desire my removal, I will, of course, step aside." He approached Lucius. "However, you will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who—" he seemed to be looking the four straight in the eye. "Ask for it."

Lucius turned, but saw nothing. He faced Dumbledore again. "Admirable sentiments." He said. "Shall we?" he walked over to the door, and opened it. Dumbledore seemed to have noticed something, but he looked at the four, and then headed out the door. "Fudge."

The Minister looked at Hagrid. "Come, Hagrid." He said. "Well?"

Hagrid cleared his throat. "If, um, if anybody was looking for some stuff, then all they'd have to do would be to follow the spiders. Yep. That would lead them right." He kept giving the four under the cloak nervous glances when he spoke. "That's all I have to say. Oh, and someone will need to feed Fang while I'm away." Hagrid walked out. Fang growled.

"Good boy." Fudge said, and left. The four took off the cloak.

"Hagrid's right." Ron said. "With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day."

"Look." Harry said. Arthur removed his hand from Molly's mouth. Molly wasn't so sure she should trust him. Arthur was being very secretive at this moment, and she really didn't know what to make of it. Harry walked over to the wall, and they saw spiders going up it, and out the window, just like pervious times before. "Come on." They walked over to the door, and Harry picked up a lantern. "Come on, Fang." He said, and then they left Hagrid's hut, Fang cautiously behind them. Harry lifted the lantern, and looked as the spiders made their way down the wall. "Come on." He said, again.

"What?" Ron asked.

"You heard what Hagrid said. "Follow the spiders.""

"They're heading to the Dark Forest."

Harry just walked forward. Ron looked depressed and scared at the same time. "Why spiders?" he said. "Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies"?"

"Because." Molly said. "Now, hush up." She looked at Arthur, and pointed a finger at him. "We is talking later, mister." She said.

"Molly, I've told you a dozen times, I can't remember."

"Well, you should." Molly snapped. She lowered her voice. "Especially if you're seeing another girl."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Did you just say what I thought you said?"

"No, get over it!"

And then, they walked into the forest.

```~~~FOREST~~~```

They were following the trail of the spiders. The only one that was really scared was Ron.

"Guys, I don't like this." He whined. "Guys, I don't like this at all."

"Shush!" Harry snapped.

"Can we go back now?" Ron whimpered.

"Come on."

The four continued forward, Ron getting even more and more scared. They walked through a hole, and there were no spiders scampering anymore. Instead, a deep, dark voice growled,

"Who is it?"


	10. Aragog's Information

Chapter Ten

"Don't panic." Harry said, as Fang began barking. Molly was shaking, and didn't even acknowledge smacking Arthur's arm off when he placed it around her shoulders.

"Hagrid?" the voice asked. "Is that you?"

"We're friends of Hagrid's." Harry answered.

Suddenly, one leg at a time, a huge spider came out of a hole. Harry spoke again.

"And you? You're Aragog, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes." The spider answered. "Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before."

"He's in trouble. Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid."

Ron noticed some spiders moving about on the roots, and he got even more scared. Harry continued.

"They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets. Like before."

"That's a lie." Aragog snapped. "Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"Then, you're not the monster?"

"No. The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land in the pocket of a traveler."

"Harry." Ron whined.

"Shush." Harry told him. Ron began tugging on Molly's shirt.

"Molly. Molly." He whimpered. Molly placed a finger to her lips, and Arthur looked at him, the look in his eyes telling him to hush. Harry continued.

"But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl 50 years ago?"

"We do not speak of it." Aragog answered. "It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others."

"But have you seen it?"

"I never saw any part of the castle but the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here."

"Harry!" Ron whimpered.

"What?" Harry asked, facing him. Ron whimpered, and pointed up. All around them, spiders came down from their webs.

"Well." Harry said, looking at Aragog. "Thank you. We'll just go."

"Go?" Aragog asked. Ron nodded, whimpering. "I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst."

The spiders that came down began closing in on the four. Aragog continued.

"Goodbye, friend of Hagrid." He said.

"Can we panic now?" Ron asked. A spider landed behind them, and Harry smacked it away with a lantern. He did the same with a few more, and then they all took out their wands. "Know any spells?"

"One." Harry answered. "But it's not powerful enough for all of them."

"Where's Hermione when you need her?"

By this time, Arthur had taken his arm off of Molly's shoulders, and the four were all standing at the ready. The spiders closed in, and then they saw a light, and heard a motor roar. The car came out of nowhere, and began to run the spiders over. It stopped directly in front of the four. The doors opened.

"Let's go!" Harry said, and the four got into the car. Fang also got in the back. Harry pointed a wand at one of the spiders as he got in. "_Arania Exumai_!" he said, and the spider flew back. He got in, and spiders jumped onto the car. "Go!"

Ron backed the car up, and they began to go in reverse, knocking the spiders off, except for one who just sat on the windshield. But it finally got off when they stopped.

"Glad we're out of there." Ron said. A spider jumped to his side, and placed its legs and pinchers around his neck. Harry took out his wand.

"_Arania Exumai_!" he repeated, and the spider flew back.

"Thanks for that." Ron said.

"Don't mention it." Harry squinted his eyes, and they saw more spiders come out of the darkness.

"Oh, shit. Go, go, go, go, go!" Arthur yelled.

"Get us out of here." Harry said. "Now!"

Ron started the car, and backed up.

"Come on! Come on, move faster!" Harry yelled at him. Ron turned the car around, and they spun for a little bit. "Come on! Go!"

Ron drove off, the spiders behind them. Molly looked back, and screamed.

"Don't scream, you're making it worse." Ron said. The spiders began to gang up on the car.

"Get us in the air." Harry said. Ron pressed down on something, but nothing happened.

"The flying gear's jammed!" he said.

"Come on! Pull!"  
"I'm trying!"

"Hurry up, Ron!" Arthur yelled.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Ron squeaked, as he tried to make the car fly. They kept running over spiders, and then flew into the air, and out of the forest. They landed, and got out of the car. Fang barked.

"Follow the spiders." Ron said. "Follow the spiders. If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him."

The car started up again, and drove off back into the forest. Ron continued.

"I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?"

"We know one thing." Harry said. "Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent."


	11. Hermione's Help and a Bigger Surprise

Chapter Eleven

```~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~```

They were visiting Hermione in the hospital wing. Harry removed some dead flowers and put in some new ones. He sat on her bed.

"Wish you were here, Hermione." He said. "We need you. Now more than ever."

"It doesn't make sense. At least to me." Molly said.

"What?" Ron asked.  
"We lose the most valuable person on our team. It's…. it makes no sense."

Harry was holding her hand, and noticed something. It was a piece of parchment, and he removed it from her hand.

"What's that?" Molly asked, trying to see what Harry had gotten. Harry opened it.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"Hey. Line stealer." Molly said. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Guys…." Harry said. "This is why Hermione was in the library the day she was attacked." He wrinkled the parchment back up. "Come on."

They ran out. Harry read from the parchment.

""Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it." Guys, this is it. The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk. That's why I can hear it speak. It's a snake."

"It's all making sense now. Thank you, Hermione!" Molly said.

"But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it no one's dead?" Ron asked. Harry thought for a moment.

"Because no one did look it in the eye." He said, finally. "Not directly, at least. Colin saw it through his camera," they began walking. "Justin—Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast of it. But he's a ghost, he couldn't die again. And Hermione….. Had the mirror! I bet you she was using it to look around corners, in case it came along."

"And Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked. "I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry."

"It'd be cool if she did though." Molly muttered. They looked at her. "Just sayin'…."

Harry thought for a moment.

"The water." He said. "There was water on the floor that night. She only saw the basilisk's reflection." He looked at the parchment again, and then they walked over to a torch. ""Spiders flee before it." It all fits."

"But how's the basilisk been getting around? A dirty, great snake. Someone would've seen it."

"Hermione's answered that too." Harry showed him the writing on the bottom of the parchment. It said "Pipes."

"Pipes? It's using the plumbing."

"Remember what Aragog said? About that girl 50 years ago? She died in a bathroom? What if she never left?"

"You mean….. Moaning Myrtle?" Molly asked.

"That's exactly who I mean." Harry said.

"Moaning Myrtle." Ron said. McGonagall's voice came over and filled the hall.

"_All students are to return to their house dormitories at once_. _All teachers to the second-floor corridor immediately_."

The three students hid behind a column on the second-floor corridor. The teachers approached the wall.

"As you can see," McGonagall said. "The Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has been realized. Two students have been taken by the monster into the Chamber itself. The students must be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts."

Lockhart walked up, and everyone else looked at him.

"So sorry." He said. "Dozed off. What have I missed?"

"Late arrival." Molly muttered. Harry nudged her to be quiet. "Oh, that was my boob, you pervert." She muttered. Harry looked at her and held up a finger. "Sorry." He mouthed, and then they paid attention to what was going on.

"A girl and a boy have been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last." Snape said.

"My…m-moment?"

"Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"That's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy." McGonagall said. "Your skills, after all, are legend."

"Very well." Lockhart said, smiling. "Uh, I'll just be in my office getting…um…getting ready." He walked off.

"Who is it that the monster's taken, Minerva?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Ginny and Arthur Weasley."

Harry, Ron, and Molly looked shocked. The teachers walked off, and the message, in the two different handwritings, was finally revealed.

""Their skeletons will lie in the Chamber forever."" Ron read, shocked. "Ginny."

"I should've realized." Molly said. "It was his handwriting! I should've known. And now he's gonna die." Molly shook her head violently. "But no! I was just a stupid bitch, and thought that he was cheating on me! Why-why didn't I notice it before? I'm such an idiot." She began hiccupping, the tears coming down her face. Harry grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Molly look at me. L-look at me, Molly. Mols." He said, as Ron just stood, staring at the message. "They will not die. Okay? They. Will. Not. Die. We are going to save them. Okay?"

Molly nodded, wiping her eyes. Harry continued.

"Okay, now just-just calm down, okay? It's going to be alright. Okay?"

Molly nodded. "Okay."

"Now, let's go."


	12. Going to the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter Twelve

```~~~DADA CLASSROOM~~~```

"Lockhart may be useless," Harry said, as they ran in. "But he's going to try and get into the Chamber. At least we can tell him what we know."

They ran up the stairs to the office, and then ran in. Harry spoke.

"Professor, we have some information for you." He said.

Lockhart faced them, closing a trunk.

"Are you going somewhere?" Harry asked.

"Uh-uh-uh-" Lockhart stammered. "Well, yes. Urgent call. Unavoidable. Uh, got to go."

"What about my sister?" Ron demanded.

"Yeah, and my boyfriend?" Molly snapped.

"W-w-well, um….." he went to another trunk, and locked it. "As to that, most unfortunate. No one regrets more than I."

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You can't go now." Ron said.

"Well, I must say, when I took the job, there was nothing in the job description—"

"You're running away?" Harry demanded, blocking Lockhart's path. "After all that stuff you did in your books?"

"Books can be misleading."

"You wrote them."

"My dear boy, do use your common sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things."

"You're a fraud. You've just been taking credit for what other wizards have done."

"I KNEW IT!" Molly said. "I knew it! I knew you were all along, and now I got it straight from you! There was a reason I didn't like you! I hate liars!"

"Is there anything you _can_ do?" Ron asked.

"Besides running away?" Molly added. She blinked another tear out of her eye.

"Yes, now you mention it." Lockhart answered. "I'm rather gifted with Memory Charms. Otherwise, you see, all those other wizards would have gone blabbing. And I'd never have sold another book. In fact," he walked over to a trunk. Harry, Ron, and Molly looked at each other, and nodded. They pulled out their wands as he was taking his out. "I'm going to have to do the same to you." Lockhart turned to see three wands pointed at him.

"Don't even think about it." Harry snapped. Lockhart dropped his wand.

```~~~GIRL'S BATHROOM~~~```

They walked in to see Myrtle doing what she always does-moaning. She stopped.

"Who's there?" she asked. She then smiled. "Oh, hello Harry." She giggled, and then turned serious. "What do you want?"

"To ask you how you died." Harry answered. Ron and Molly had their wand out, and pointed at Lockhart.

"Oh," Myrtle said. "It was dreadful. It happened right here in this very cubicle." She pointed down at the stall she was floating over. "I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in."

"Who was it, Myrtle?"

"I don't know. I was distraught!" Myrtle snapped. She floated down towards them, and continued. "But they said something fully, a kind of made-up language. And I realized it was a boy speaking, so I unlocked the door to tell him to go away, and… I died."

"Just like that? How?"

"I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes...over there, by that sink." She pointed to the one where Molly had fallen into a couple of weeks ago. Myrtle then floated away. Harry walked up to the sink. He was looking for something, and then began to turn the faucet. Something caught his eye. It was a small picture of a serpent.

"This is it." Harry said. "This is it, guys. I think this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

A/N: Hey! Sorry the chaps are so freaking short! Just trying to save the good stuff for the long ones!


	13. Tom Riddle

Chapter Thirteen

"Say something." Ron said. "Harry, say something in Parseltongue."

Harry closed his eyes, and then opened them. He spoke, and the top part of the sink floated up. The rest divided into many other pieces, and one went down. A grate slid over it, revealing a hole. Lockhart sighed.

"Excellent, Harry." He said. "Good work. Well, then, I'll just be…um….there's no need for me to stay." He began to try and leave, but the three stopped him.

"Oh, yes there is." Harry said. They pushed him towards the hole. Lockhart grasped onto the other parts of the sink. The three pointed their wands at him. "You first."

"Now, children, what good will do?"

"To kill a fraud? A lot." Molly snapped.

"Better you than us." Ron said.

"Um, but—Obviously, yes." Lockhart stammered. He turned, and looked down the hole. "Sure you don't want to test it first?" he asked, looking at the three. Ron nudged him with his wand, and he fell in. They heard a thud. "It's really quite filthy down here."

"Alright." Harry said. "Let's go."

"Oh, Harry?" Myrtle said. The three looked at her. "If you die down there, you're welcome to share my toilet."

Molly went wide-eyed, and looked away. "That's nice." She muttered.

"Uh, thanks Myrtle." Harry said. He jumped first, and then Ron, and last came Molly. The whole way down, Ron was screaming. They landed on bones. Molly looked underneath her and screamed. She jumped up and down, getting all of the bones out of her clothes. Ron looked down.

"Ew."

"Now, remember:" Harry said. "Any sign of movement, close your eyes straightaway." He crawled up to a small passageway. Lockhart hesitated.

"Go on." Ron said, his wand still pointed at him. Molly had put hers up. Lockhart followed Harry, and Molly and Ron went behind him.

"This way." Harry said. They saw something that looked like rocks, but it wasn't.

"Ew. Disgusting." Molly said.

"What's this?" Ron asked.

"It looks like a…snake." Lockhart said.

"It's a snakeskin." Harry said, following it.

"Bloody hell." Ron said. "Whatever shed this must be 60 feet long. Or more."

"I'm voting for the 'or more' bit." Molly said. Lockhart fainted. "He's out."

"Heart of a lion, this one." Ron said, sarcastically. Lockhart stood, and took Ron's wand, a crazed look in his eyes.

"The adventure ends here, children." He said. "But don't fret. The world will know our story. How I was too late to save the kids. How you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of their mangled bodies. So…" he pointed the wand at Harry. "You first, Mr. Potter. Say goodbye to your memories. _Obliviate_!" he yelled, but the wand backfired. Lockhart flew back, and hit the rocks up above. The place began to shake after he fell.

"Come on, Ron!" Molly yelled. She ran over to Harry. "Ron!" she screamed, and then they were separated by rocks.

"Harry! Molly!" they heard. The two stood up, and were separated by Ron and Lockhart by a wall of rocks. They ran over to the rocks, and looked through a hole.

"Ron! Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine." Ron answered. They heard a groan, and Lockhart sat up.

"Hello." He said. "Who are you?"

"Um…. Ron Weasley."

"Really? And, uh, who-who am I?"

"Lockhart's Memory Charm backfired. He hasn't got a clue who he is!" Ron told the other two.

"It's an odd sort of place, isn't it?" Lockhart asked. He picked up a rock. "Do you live here?"

Molly began laughing. "I'm sorry, but that was just funny." She said. Ron took the rock.

"No." he said.

"Really?"

Then, Ron knocked him out. Molly laughed again. Harry winced. Ron looked at them.

"What do I do now?"  
"You wait here," Harry said. "and try to shift some of this rock so we can get back through. We'll go on and find Ginny and Arthur."

"Okay."

Harry and Molly left the rock site, took out their wands, and saw an odd looking door. On it, snakes seemed to lock it. Harry spoke in Parseltongue. The snakes snapped back as another slid, unlocked the door. The door opened, and they walked in, wands at the ready. They saw a ladder, and climbed down it. It seemed to be some kind of a long passage, with snakes on both sides lining it, mouths open and tongues sticking out. Molly poked one.

"Ow. Pointy." She said.  
"Molly. Come on." Harry said, and they began walking down the passage way. They stopped for a second, seeing two stiff bodies. "Ginny. Arthur."

"Oh, my God." Molly muttered. They began running, and ran over to the bodies, kneeling down beside them. "Ginny! Ginny, please don't be dead. Wake up! Wake up!"

Molly began fussing over Arthur. "C'mon." she tapped his face lightly. "Wake up, god dammit! Listen, I'm sorry for everything that I said. I take it back." She began shaking him.

"Please wake up!" the two said at the same time.

"They won't wake." They heard. A boy stepped into view.

"Tom. Tom Riddle." Harry said.  
"This is Tom Riddle?" Molly asked.

"What do you mean, they won't wake?" Harry asked. "They're not…?"

"They're still alive, but only just."

Tom walked over to them.

"Are you a ghost?" Harry asked.

"A memory, preserved in a diary for 50 years."

"That book? That book Harry found in the bathroom?" Molly asked. Tom smiled.

"Very good. I was surprised you even guessed it."

Harry placed a hand on Ginny's. "She's cold as ice. Ginny, please don't be dead. Wake up."

Molly placed her hand on Arthur's face. "Oh, my God!"

"You've got to help us, Tom. There's a basilisk."

"It won't come until it's called." Tom answered. Harry and Molly stood.

"Give us our wands, Tom." He said.

"You won't be needing them."

"Listen, we've got to go. We've got to save them."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, you two. You see, as poor Ginny and Arthur grow weaker, I grow stronger.'

"What?" Molly breathed. "Then-then—"

"Yes. It was Ginny and Arthur Weasley who opened the Chamber of Secrets."


	14. Fighting the Basilisk

Chapter Fourteen

"No. They couldn't. They wouldn't." Harry said.

"It was Ginny and Arthur who set the basilisk on the Mudbloods and Filch's cat, Ginny and Arthur who wrote the messages on the walls."

"But why?"

"Because I told them to. You'll find that I can be very persuasive. Not that they knew what they were doing. They were, shall we say, in a kind of trance. Still, the power of the diary began to scare them. And they tried to dispose of it in the girl's bathroom. And then, who should find it but you? The very person I was most anxious to meet."

"And why did you want to meet me?"

"I knew I had to talk to you. Meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my capture of that brainless oaf Hagrid, to gain your trust."

"Hagrid's my friend! And you framed him, didn't you?"

"It was my word against Hagrid's. Only Dumbledore seemed to think he was innocent."

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you."

"He certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after that. I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school, so I decided to leave behind a diary preserving my 16 year old self in its pages, so that that one day I would be able to lead another to finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it this time."

Molly nodded. Harry continued.

"In a few hours, the Mandrake Draught will be ready. And everyone who was Petrified will be alright again."

"Haven't I told you? Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now, my new target has been you. How is it that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent was able to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

"Why do you care how I escaped?" Harry snapped. "Voldemort was after your time."

"Voldemort is my past, present, and future." Tom turned and wrote "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE" in the air in fiery letters. He moved his hands, and switched them around, and they said, "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT"

"Oh, my God." Molly said again.  
"You. You're the Heir of Slytherin." Harry said. "You're Voldemort."

"Surely you didn't think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle father's name? No. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world."

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

"Take that, Riddle!" Molly yelled. And then she muttered, "Why does he have to be so goddamned hot and evil at the same time?"

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me." Tom said.

"He'll never be gone. Not as long as those who remain are loyal to him." Harry snapped. They heard a bird cry, and Fawkes flew in, something in his claws. Fawkes dropped what he was holding, and Harry caught it. He then circled around, and flew off. Harry undid the package, and it was the Sorting Hat.

"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defenders." Tom snapped. "A songbird and an old hat." He walked over to the huge head monument, and stretched his hand out. He spoke in Parseltongue. He turned as the mouth opened. "Let's match the power of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter and his annoying little friend, Molly Prewett."

The two heard a hiss, and took off. Tom spoke in Parseltongue again. Then, he said, "Parseltongue won't save you now, Potter. It only obeys me."

They heard a hiss and ran faster. Harry tripped, and his glasses fell. Molly began to turn.

"No! Go on!" Harry said. "I'll be there as soon as I can!"

Molly, not looking his way, reluctantly obeyed. Harry picked up his glasses and covered his head, and then they heard Fawkes cry out again. Molly stopped where she was going, and Harry looked up. They looked at the wall, and saw that Fawkes was clawing the basilisk's eyes out. The basilisk was crying out in pain.

"No!" Tom yelled. "Your bird may have blinded the basilisk, but it can still hear you."

"Harry, some time today would be nice!" Molly said. Harry got up, and looked at the basilisk. He began to walk back, but broke something. The basilisk turned towards him. Molly ran over to Harry, and grabbed his arm. They went another way, and nearly missed the basilisk when it went to attack them. They went down a passageway, not slowing down, and occasionally picking up the pace. They turned, and slammed into a grate that covered the hole.

"Fuck." Molly muttered. They turned when they saw the basilisk right in front of their only way out. Molly opened her mouth to scream, but Harry placed his hand over it. The basilisk neared them and opened its mouth. With his free hand, Harry picked up a rock and threw it out of their little hole. The basilisk stopped, backed up, and went the way the rock landed. They slowly approached the opening, and watched the basilisk go one way, while another way led to where they were before the chase. They took that way, and ran over to Ginny and Arthur. Tom was standing right where he was before it all happened.

"Yes," Tom said. "The process is nearly complete. In a few minutes, Ginny and Arthur Weasley will be dead, and I will cease to be a memory. Lord Voldemort will return, very much alive."

"You're sick." Molly muttered. She placed her hand on Arthur's cheek.

"Ginny?" Harry said. The basilisk popped out of the water, making the two jump. Tom just watched. Molly screamed. Inside the hat, a sword appeared. Harry picked it up, and ran over to the rocks. Molly began to go after him. "No!" Harry yelled. "Stay there. I don't want you getting hurt." He then began to climb the rock to get away from the large snake. The snake, unfortunately, heard him and Harry began slashing at it as the basilisk straightened out its body. It went to attack as Harry began climbing, making holes where it had bitten. Harry climbed to the top as the snake attacked a third time. Harry held out the sword, and slashed the basilisk again, cutting its face. He fell again, and the sword began to fall. Harry got up and grabbed it as the basilisk moved in for another attack.


	15. Rescuing Ginny, Arthur, Lockhart and Ron

Chapter Fifteen

Harry thrust the sword through the basilisk's head, making it scream. He ripped it out, a tooth stuck in his arm. The basilisk fell back into the water, and was dead. Tom clenched his teeth angrily as Harry stumbled his way back towards them. The upper part of the snake was out of the water, and Molly began freaking out as Arthur and Ginny began to get colder and colder.

"Remarkable, isn't it, how quickly the venom of the basilisk penetrates the body?" Tom asked, as Harry crawled his way over to Ginny. "I guess you have a little more than a minute to live. You'll be with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry." Harry grasped Ginny's arm, as Molly's hand finally left Arthur's cheek, and to his hands. "Funny, the damage a silly little book can do, especially in the hands of two silly little children."

"Harry, the book." Molly said. Harry took the book from Ginny's limp arms, and opened it.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked. Harry picked up the fang, and Tom began to freak out. "Stop. No!" he said. Harry stabbed the book with the fang. Blood came out of the book. A light shone in the middle of Tom's chest. It was growing at a frightening pace. Tom went to attack Harry, who stabbed the other side, and making blood shoot out again. Another light shone in the middle of Tom's right cheek, and began to spread all over his face. Harry took the fang back out, closed the book, and then stabbed it again. Tom then turned into nothing but sparks. He was gone. Ginny was the first to wake. She looked around, and sat up. Molly placed a hand on Arthur's cheek. His eyes fluttered open, and he sat up. Molly's eyes filled with tears again, and she hugged him so tight, as if to not let him go. Molly pulled away after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I'm so sorry for what I said. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—" Arthur kissed her, and then pulled away.

"It's okay." He whispered, and wiped away the tears that were flowing down her cheeks.

"Ginny." Harry said. He was clutching his arm. The three looked at him.

"Harry." Ginny said. "It was me and Arthur. But I swear, we didn't mean to. Right?" she looked at Arthur, who nodded. She looked back at Harry. "Riddle made us, and….." she saw Harry's wound. "Harry, you're hurt."

"Don't worry." Harry said. "You need to get yourselves out. Follow the Chamber, and you'll find Ron."

"Yeah, and a very confused and probably still passed out Lockhart." Molly muttered.

"Really?" Arthur asked her.

"Hey, we were pissed at the guy. Long story. He lost his memory. But he's still as annoying."

They heard a bird cry, and Fawkes flew back over to them. He walked over to Harry.

"You were brilliant, Fawkes." He said. "I just wasn't quick enough."

Fawkes leaned over Harry's arm, and tears came out of his eyes. They fell to Harry's arm, where it began to heal. Ginny went wide-eyed, as did the others.

"Of course." Harry said. "Phoenix tears have healing powers."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Molly said. Harry looked at Fawkes.

"Thanks." He looked at Ginny. "It's alright, Ginny. It's over. It's just a memory."

```~~~LATER~~~```

Fawkes flew Lockhart, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Molly, and Arthur out of the Chamber.

"Amazing!" Lockhart yelled. "This is just like magic!"

"I wonder why." Molly muttered.

```~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~```

Harry, Ron, and Molly were in Dumbledore's office.

"You three realize, of course, that in the past few hours you have broken perhaps a dozen school rules."

"Yes, sir." The three replied.

"There is sufficient evidence to have you three expelled."

"Yes, sir."

"Therefore, it is only fitting…that you three receive special awards for services to the school." He smiled at them. The three looked relieved.

"Whew." Molly said. "I was scared for a minute there."

"Yeah, me too." Ron said. "Thanks, sir."

"And now, Mr. Weasley, if you would have an owl deliver these release papers to Azkaban." Dumbledore handed Ron some papers. Ron took them. "I believe we want our gamekeeper back." Ron smiled, and walked out. "Harry and Molly. First, I want to thank you. You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you. And….second, I sense that something is troubling you. Am I right, Harry?" this time, he was talking to Harry. Molly sat down on the steps.

"It's just…" Harry answered. "You see, sir, I couldn't help but notice certain things, certain…. Certain similarities between Tom Riddle and me."

"I see. Well, you can speak Parseltongue, Harry. Why? Because Lord Voldemort can speak Parseltongue. If I'm not mistaken, Harry, he transferred some of his powers to you the night he gave you that scar."

"Voldemort transferred some of his powers to me?"

"Holy mother of God." Molly muttered. Dumbledore nodded.

"Not intentionally," he muttered. He walked behind his desk, and sat down. "But yes."

"So, the Sorting Hat was right. I should be in Slytherin."

"It's true, Harry. You possess many of the qualities that Voldemort himself prizes. Determination, resourcefulness, and if I may say so, a certain disregard for the rules."

"Oopsy." Molly said. Harry smiled.

"Why, then, did the Sorting Hat place you in Gryffindor?" Dumbledore said, after looking at Molly, who smiled.

"Because I asked it to." Harry answered.

"Exactly, Harry. Exactly. Which makes you different from Voldemort. It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices. If you want proof why you belong in Gryffindor, then I suggest you look more closely at this." Dumbledore picked up the sword. Harry took it. "Be careful." Harry looked at it.

"Godric Gryffindor."

Molly jumped up, and ran over to him. "The sword of Gryffindor." She said.

"It would take a true Gryffindor to pull that out of the hat." Dumbledore said. The door slammed open.


	16. The Malfoys Lose Dobby

Chapter Sixteen

Lucius Malfoy walked in, and behind him was a timid little house elf.

"Dobby." Harry said. "So this is your master. The family you serve is the Malfoys."

"Mm-hmm." Said Dobby, and he looked at Lucius, scared.

"I'll deal with you later." Lucius snarled. Dobby whimpered. Lucius held up his cane-thing, making him flinch back. Lucius, instead of hitting the poor creature, walked over to the desk, Dobby close behind him. "Out of my way, Potter." He snapped. He looked at Molly. "Weasley."

Molly held back a laugh.

"What?" Harry muttered.

"He still thinks I'm the ninth child." She said, smirking.

"So it's true. You have returned." Lucius said.

"When the governors learned that Arthur Weasley's children were taken into the Chamber, they saw fit to summon me back." Dumbledore said. He looked at Molly, and winked.

"Ridiculous." Lucius grumbled.

"Curiously, Lucius, several of them were under the impression that you would curse their families if they did not agree to suspend me in the first place."

"How dare you!"

"Beg your pardon?"

"My sole concern has always been and will always be the welfare of this school and, of course, its students." As he spoke, he looked over at Harry and Molly. "The culprit has been identified, I presume?"

"Oh, yes." Dumbledore nodded.

"And? Who was it?"

Dumbledore, Harry, and Molly looked at each other. Dumbledore faced Lucius again. "Voldemort." He said.

"Ah."

"Only this time he chose to act through somebody else, by means of this." Dumbledore held up the diary.

"I see." Lucius said. Dobby tugged on Harry's robes. Dumbledore continued.

"Fortunately, our young Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley discovered it. One hopes that no more of Lord Voldemort's old-school things should find their way into innocent hands. The consequences for the one responsible would be severe."

Lucius sneered. "Well," he said. "Let us hope that Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley will always be around to save the day." He looked at the two kids.

"Don't worry." Harry said. "We will be." Both he and Molly said that part at the same time. Dumbledore smiled, and looked at Lucius, who looked at him.

"Dumbledore." He said. Lucius threw back his cloak. "Come, Dobby. We're leaving." The two then walked off, Lucius hitting Dobby with his staff. Harry put down the sword, and looked at the diary.

"Sir?" he said. "I wonder if I could have that?"

```~~~LATER~~~```

Harry and Molly followed Lucius and Dobby.

"Mr. Malfoy." Harry said, as the two ran up to the man and the house elf. "Mr. Malfoy!"

Lucius turned. Harry continued.

"I have something of yours." He handed the diary to the man.

"Mine?" Lucius asked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do, sir. I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron, that day at Diagon Alley."

"You do, do you?" Lucius handed the book to Dobby. He stood over the two kids. "Why don't you prove it?"

When neither Harry nor Molly said anything, Lucius smirked, and turned. "Come Dobby." He said, leaving.

"Open it." Harry muttered. Dobby opened the book, and saw two socks. His eyes lit up with joy.

"Dobby." Lucius said.

"Master has given Dobby socks." Dobby said. Lucius turned.

"What? I didn't give—" he looked at the book.

"Master has presented Dobby with clothes. Dobby is free." Dobby said, clutching the socks. Harry lifted up his left pant-leg. Molly smirked, and wiggled her right foot, that had no sock on it.

"You two lost me my servant!" Lucius yelled. From the thing that looked like a cane, he took out his wand, and pointed it at them. Dobby stepped in front of them.

"You shall not harm them." He said, holding a hand out. Lucius raised his arm back, and Dobby knocked him back with a bolt. Lucius flew across the hallway, and then landed. He stood.

"Your parents were meddlesome fools too." He said. "Mark my words Potter," he said, pointing at them. "One day soon, you are going to meet the same sticky end. You too, Weasley." He lowered his hand, and left.

"Harry Potter and Molly Weasley freed Dobby. How can Dobby ever repay them?"

"Okay, Dobs," Molly said. "The Weasley is a cover-up. It's Molly Prewett, 'kay?" she said, smiling. Dobby nodded.

"Mm-hmm."

"Just promise me something." Harry said.

"Anything, sir." Dobby told him.

"Never try to save my life again."

Dobby shrugged, and smiled.


	17. End of Year Two

Chapter Seventeen

```~~~LATER~~~```

They were in the Great Hall.

"Welcome back, Sir Nicholas." Said a girl.

"Thank you." Sir Nicholas said in return.

"Good evening, Sir Nicholas." Said another.

"Good evening."

"Good to see you, Sir Nicholas." Said a boy.

"Thank you." Sir Nicholas said. "Hello." He said, to two people walking in. "Hermione! Welcome back."

"Thanks, Sir Nicholas." Hermione said, smiling.

"Harry." Neville said, looking at the door. "It's Hermione."

Ron leaned over to see her, Harry behind him. Molly leaned over to see her and Arthur behind her. Hermione ran to them, and hugged three, but stopped and blushed at Ron.

"Oooh!" Molly said.

"Shut up." Ron muttered. "Uh-uh…." Ron said. He and Hermione shook hands. "Welcome back, Hermione."

"It's good to be back." Hermione smiled. "Congratulations. I can't believe you solved it."

"Well, we had loads of help from you." Harry said.

"Loads." Molly said. "But it wasn't the same without you, 'Mione."

Hermione smiled.

"We couldn't have done it without you." Harry said.

"Thanks." Hermione smiled bigger. There was a tapping on the glass as Molly and Arthur were about to kiss.

"Dammit." Molly muttered.

"So close." Arthur grumbled. Molly smiled.

"Could I have your attention, please?" McGonagall said. The five kids took their seats. Dumbledore stood.

"Before we begin the feast, let us have a round of applause for Professor Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, whose Mandrake juice has been so successfully administered to all who had been Petrified."

Everyone clapped. Besides some of the Slytherins. Dumbledore continued.

"Also, in light in recent events, as a school treat, all exams have been canceled."

"Yeah!" Molly said. She and Arthur high-fived.

"I didn't study anyway!" Arthur said.

"I didn't either!"

"_Oh, no_." Hermione mouthed, disappointed. Dumbledore sat, and the doors opened. Hagrid walked in.

"Sorry I'm late." He said. Everyone looked as him as Hagrid continued to talk and walk inside. "The owl that delivered my release papers got all lost and confused. Some ruddy bird called Errol."

Molly began laughing, as did everyone else. Ron looked embarrassed. Hagrid walked over to the five kids.

"And I'd just like to say that if it hadn't been for you, Harry, and Ron, Molly and Arthur, and Hermione, of course, I would, uh, I would still be you-know-where, so I'd just like to say thanks."

Harry stood up. "There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid." He said. Hagrid smiled, and then Harry hugged him. Hagrid hugged him back. Dumbledore stood, and began clapping, which led to everyone else doing the same thing. Harry pulled away from the hug, and joined the clapping. Kids were cheering, and they all surrounded Hagrid, who began to cry.

A/N: Well! Got that done! Part 3 will be up ASAP!


End file.
